Even More Confessions of a Merc Plus 1
by love.devil.movies.baby
Summary: Starts where Confessions left of with a slight twist. Deadpool's going after Stryker and Creed and guess who's tagging along? Nothing like a hot chick, a Cajun and a Wolverine on a revenge road trip to make things more interesting. Wade/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So turns out I wasn't quite done with this story yet. This picks up after the fight in Confessions, except with an alternate ending. You might want to read that one before you read this. Let me know if you think I should continue!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Marvel's characters and any references to real people are for entertainment purposes only. I'm not making any money off of this. Which is really unfortunate.**

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I came to again, maybe only five minutes later and almost didn't want to open my eyes. I could be anywhere. I got up the courage and cracked them open, just for a peek. I was still lying face up in Africa. Kioni was bending over me, her long hair falling over us like a curtain. Her eyes were red, like she'd been crying.

"Oh, God, Wade…" she trailed off in sobs. I sat up a little bit to look around.

The ground was covered in blood; some the color of dry rust, others fresh and in puddles. "Gary" was leaning over what looked like Mhina. He wasn't moving. Akina had her kids in her arms and was trying to calm their bawling. Her husband was running around trying to restore order and see who needed help.

And Stryker, Creed, and Betsy were gone. I looked at Kioni questioningly.

"They just left," she said between sobs, "Creed grabbed that purple-wearing bitch," I snickered, "and they jumped on this helicopter that came out of nowhere. I don't know if they'll come back." I struggled to my feet, my head swimming. Kioni nearly knocked me over again as she threw herself into my arms. "Wade," she sobbed harder into my blood-stained and ripped shirt, "Mhina, he's not moving. I think that they killed…" she dissolved into body shaking sobs.

And now I knew why they had left. They did what they came to do. I wasn't important enough to them right now. They could always come and get me at some later time. I sighed. This was not good. I looked back over at Gary. For once, his pudgy face wasn't smiling. He looked grave. I glanced over at Kioni. She looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. I touched her arm.

"Hey," she looked up at me. "You ok?" I knew it was a stupid question, but it had the intended effect. She steeled her shoulders and nodded at me, her tears still on her face but no longer running from her eyes.

"Yes," she said firmly. She swallowed hard one time, then looked back over at Gary and Mhina. Without another word, she headed toward them. I tagged along. I was pretty sure I knew what we were going to see once we got over there. I couldn't hear or see Mhina breathing. Which generally, is not a good sign. I followed close behind Kioni, not looking too forward to how she was going to react.

We came right up to the body. I bent down to feel for a pulse. All I felt was cold skin. I tried not to pull back too quickly. I know I'm a professional assassin or whatever, but dead people still give me the heebie-jeebies. The body was lying in a pool of blood, the eyes wide open and glassy, ten puncture wounds in two arches on his chest.

Sabertooth was such a bastard.

I heard a sharp intake of breath as Kioni caught sight of what I was seeing.

"How did it happen?" I asked Gary. I was pretty sure Mhina was alive when I got knocked out. I winced as the cuts all over me began to seal themselves back up. A few bystanders were looking on in amazement but I shook them off. I thought it was pretty obvious now that I was a mutant.

"When the big man knocked you out, he ran over to stop him from killing you." Gary said softly, his trademark glee gone. I had to be impressed. I didn't even know the guy and he had died for me. It probably wasn't the best time to point out that somehow I _couldn't _die anyway. Instead I just looked at Gary, urging him to continue. "He grabbed one of your weapons and drove it into the man's back. I thought he had killed him, no man could survive that…"

"No normal man," Kioni interjected. "He is a mutant."

Gary's eyes widened to saucer like proportions. I don't know how he could have missed the fact that both Creed and I had been splitting each other open and sealing ourselves back up for the last half hour. This guy wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.

"A mutant…" he babbled.

"Yeah. So am I." I said it nonchalantly. Kioni kept silent. I can't say I blamed her. Gary was looking at me like I had just said I worshiped the devil.

"You?!" he choked out.

I rose my eyebrow at him and he staggered back like I was going to melt him with my mind. I averted my eyes back to Mhina's body. Sure enough, one of my katanas was lying near his hand, blood covering it to the hilt. He had gotten a good hit in. I could imagine him plunging it into that hairy back, and then Creed just turning around and sinking those yellow talons into him. Poor sap. I didn't like him, but I didn't want him to die. Akina's husband ran up to us.

"We need to move him out of sight. And someone will have to tell his family…"

"I will," Joshua had emerged. He had blood on his shirt and was holding a stained red cloth to his arm.

"You've been shot!" Kioni was at her father's side in an instance, followed closely by Akina. He brushed them off.

"It is just a graze. I will be fine after some stitches. We need to focus on those less fortunate." Despite the fact that the man had taken a bullet to his arm, he was all business. I could see where the sisters got their mannerisms from.

"Was it Stryker?" Joshua looked at me questioningly.

"The white man with the too-large sunglasses? Yes. Luckily for me is a terrible shot." I had to smile at that one. I'm guessing Stryker got distracted by the fact that his house cat was writhing in pain outside with me. Either way, he hadn't finished the job. Which presented me with another problem. Stryker _always _finished the job.

"He'll be back," I announced to the general assembly a few minutes later. We had moved Mhina into the mansion/warehouse and the kids had been sent away with their mother and father. Joshua and Kioni looked up at me.

"I assumed that yes. Which is why we must do what we can to prevent another attack." Joshua covered Mhina's body.

"He'll still come. The man has resources and connections like you won't believe. When he wants something done, it happens."

"You know a lot about him. And he seems to know a lot about you. In fact, it seems as though you were here to kill me. How can I trust you?" A gun was at my head a second later. Damn, should have seen that coming. I'm pretty sure the bullet wouldn't kill me, but I was in no mood to lose my memory again. Not when I had some of it back.

"Father, don't." Kioni calmly placed herself between me and the gun. "He did not know. He was another tool of Stryker's. He never had the intention of harming anyone here." Well, that was nice of her. I'm starting to think she likes me.

"How can you be sure? He is obviously a powerful mutant--"

"Thanks!" I smiled brightly at the compliment. Both father and daughter shot me matching "are you kidding me?" expressions.

"The point is, he could have tricked you." Joshua finished.

"Just because mother tricked you does not make us all bad," Kioni said gently. Joshua looked hard at her for a moment. Kioni continued. "I've been monitoring his desires and emotions since he arrived. And I assure you, he is innocent. At least in this matter." she added as an afterthought.

The gun slowly lowered. "Your best chance is if I go after him. I'm pretty sure I'm worth more to him right now then you are. No offense." Kioni's lips turned up slightly.

"You can kill him?" he asked.

"If I can get Creed out of the way first, yeah." Joshua looked skeptical.

"Are you a trained fighter?" he asked.

"I think he's a mercenary. Or perhaps an assassin." Kioni imparted.

"A mercenary?" Joshua looked like the news took years off of his life. Which was not good, seeing as he had cancer and all.

"Yeah. I don't know how I got started with it, but I think I'm pretty good at it," Joshua buried his head in his hands. Kioni shot me a warning look. "Anyway, I'll be getting out of your hair soon. I'll just go get my stuff…" I started to back out of the room.

"I'm coming with you," Kioni announced. Her father opened his mouth to protest right as I yelled at her.

"WHAT?!" we both exclaimed.

She just crossed her arms and looked hard at us. Oh jeez…

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**So, should I keep going?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: There are no reviews, but I saw that a few people viewed it, so I figured as long as a couple of people are interested, I will keep going. Let me know what you think of my writing please! I really am trying to improve.**

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"Name a good reason I should not go," Kioni challenged her father.

"For one, he's dangerous!" he gestured wildly at me with the gun.

"That's true," I agreed nonchalantly.

"Two, we do not know him well enough for you to travel with him," Joshua ticked off on his fingers.

"Also true." Kioni glared at me.

"Three, you do not have the skill to chase down those men,"

"You really don't," I imparted to her. Her glare deepened.

"Four, now is not the time for you to leave home. We need you here. And besides, he may try to take advantage of you while you are away."

"Well, that's nothing new," I threw my two-cents in. "But I'd prefer her to be a willing participant."

Joshua looked like he might really shoot me this time. Kioni, again, intervened.

"He is dangerous," she countered, gesturing to me, "which is why he is the best for the job. Two, I can handle myself when I travel. I believe the circumstances of this situation allows us to disregard how well we know someone. I know that Wade fought for us today, and that he could have been killed saving so many. That is good enough for me." her father opened his mouth but she interrupted him. "And as for my skill, I have been training since my teenage years. True, I am no assassin, but my other skills make me a valuable asset. I can sense their desires before they act on them. And I am not content to stay home, like an animal in a cage, waiting for them to return and finish us all. I will go and we will stop them before they can finish the job. And as for him taking advantage of me, if he even thinks about it, he will find himself missing some parts of himself that he holds dear." she shot me a warning look. I gave her a little smirk.

"Kioni…" Joshua imparted again.

"I am going, father." her tone left no room for argument. "Someone must. You would, but you are needed her more than ever. You will need to alert the surrounding towns and rally together. Only you have the diplomatic pull to do so. Akina has her family to look after. That leaves me."

Joshua and Kioni both chose this moment to look at me. I raised an eyebrow in response.

"What do you think?" he asked me.

"Does my opinion matter?" I wasn't aware I was involved in the argument.

"Yes. Think hard about your answer. Because if she accompanies you, I am holding you personally responsible for anything that happens to her. And if something does happen to her, it is you we will be hunting. Understood?" Joshua had a fire in his eyes that I had to admire. His threat really didn't scare me. There would be no way he could find me if I didn't want to be found. And even if by some miracle he did, killing me would be a whole other basket of issues. Trust me, it wasn't a road he would want to go down. I nodded anyway.

"I'll take good care of her," I promised. And I would. She was growing on me.

"Then it's settled." Kioni announced. I glanced back at her father. He seemed to be on the brink of telling her something important. I could guess he was going to tell her about the cancer. Suddenly, the room was not a place I wanted to be. Luckily, Joshua gave me an out.

"Would you excuse us for a moment?" he asked me. His tone suggested that he might shoot me if I refused. Good thing I had no desire to stay. I nodded and beat it out of the room and down the hall. As I made my way back to my bedroom I noticed that parts of the building were in various states of disarray. There were scuffs on the hardwood floors from people running, and when I passed Kioni's room, I noticed a disgruntled employee sweeping up bloody shards of glass. He gave me a glare as I passed, but I just waved at him. I just saved all of their asses. The least they could do was clean up the mess.

I finally made it to my blissfully empty and blood-free room. I realized that in a few hours I was going to have to vacate the entire building and go searching for vengeance, but I was in no hurry. Revenge is tiring, and I new that Stryker was in the air still. When the helicopter landed, then I could begin to follow them. But seeing as flying is one of the few mutations I do not posses, the best plan I could formulate now was to take a nap.

I thought about just flopping down on the bed, but I remembered the cleaning guy. Poor sucker. In an uncharacteristic act of kindness I stripped off what remained of my clothing, thereby only getting blood, dirt and parts of Creed on the floor and not the bedding. I fell asleep the minute I hit the pillow. Healing is hard work, and I'm pretty sure some of my internal organs were trying to sew themselves shut. It hurt like hell. I drifted into restless dreams. I saw the lab room again, all the masked faces, I felt the searing pain, but I saw more this time. Stryker and Creed were there, but I saw two more people. There was a woman, brunette and pale skinned, in the corner of the room. There was also another man, as tall as I am, with black hair and wearing a wife beater. I knew this man. So did Creed. When he appeared, someone pulled a white sheet over my head and I couldn't see anymore. But I could hear. I heard a woman, a medic, protesting. I wasn't ready she argued. And I heard Stryker tell her to do it. I heard Creed roar, then I felt pain like I have never felt before and hope I never feel again. And it all went black.

I sat upright in bed, every hair standing on end. I had only slept for about an hour, maybe less. My body was covered in cold sweat and my heartbeat was erratic. Shit. I closed my eyes without thinking and meditated. Yet another thing I did but had no idea why. Damn Stryker for taking my memory. The last dream I had was of the last thing that happened to me before he wiped my brain clean. That bastard had to pay. I'm not the only one who wanted him dead. James Howlett, or Logan, the scruffy black-haired guy, had a vendetta to settle too. I don't think we were ever buddy-buddy, but I had a feeling he'd be willing to help me rid the world of one certain asshole. And I'm betting I could do it twice as fast, and get Stryker too with the help of Logan. If anyone was as good at fighting as me, it was him.

I opened my eyes again, considerably calmer than I had been a moment ago. I was still good and pissed though. I do some of my best work pissed off. It gets the adrenaline pumping. As long as I can control my anger, channel it, I was unstoppable. I threw back the covers and jumped out of bed just as Kioni came bursting into my room. She took one long look at me, then flushed three shades darker. It was then that I realized I was still naked.

"Oh! Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry…" she stammered and shifted awkwardly, but didn't turn around. She just kept alternating between looking at my face, then down, then closing her eyes, then apologizing. I didn't make any effort to cover myself. I was having a good time watching her obvious internal debate. It's hard not to look at me when I've got my clothes on. Off, well, just one look can ruin a woman for life.

"Did you need something?" I asked innocently while stretching my arms over my head.

"Yes, but um…it can wait. I just wanted--" I started to laugh. She glanced up at me. "Can you please put some pants on, at least?" she covered her face with a hand.

"What's wrong?" I laughed harder, "You're acting like you've never seen a naked man before!" her blush deepened. "Don't tell me you haven't!" I asked incredulously. There was no way she was a virgin. But she just took her hand away from her eyes and looked at me one more time.

"Well now I have," she said curtly, embarrassment gone. "Now if you would please cover yourself." I gave her my crooked grin but decided to listen to her this time. She looked visibly relieved after I pulled on a pair of sweats.

"Alright, it's covered." I told her. "What did you want?"

"I wanted to talk about what we're going to do." she kicked my dirty clothes out of the way.

"So you're coming then?" I couldn't help the trace of shock in voice.

"Of course," she gave me a confused look. "I thought we established that."

"You're dad didn't try and talk you out of it?" I raised my eyebrow.

"He did. But he saw my point eventually." she shrugged.

So he hadn't told her. I knew I shouldn't care about other people's problems but my own, but if she was going to tag along, she was going to be a part of my problems. And I didn't want her to put herself in all kinds of danger with me to come home to a dead father. That does not sound like fun.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, your family seems like they need you. And your dad is pretty old…" She looked ashamed for a moment.

"You're talking about his cancer," she said quietly.

"Uh, yeah…" I guess she knew.

"He doesn't know that I know," she explained. "But I sensed his desire to tell me long ago." she sighed, "That is why I have to go."

"I'm not following your logic," I told her.

"He is dying. But not anytime soon. He was just diagnosed. There is still hope if I can get a doctor, or medicine. But I will not find that in Kenya. I might not even find it in Africa."

Ah. That made more sense. "But if you go with me, you could find one while we look for Creed." I finished her train of thought.

"That is what I hope. Also, when I was helping you regain your memory, I noticed something before you shut me out the first time. You have cancer." she looked at me.

"Had." I corrected.

"And Stryker took it away?" she asked.

"Along with my memories. And whatever he did really hurt." I reminded her. "I would rather have died."

She looked taken aback for a moment. "But he still did it." She reaffirmed. "And maybe, if I just can look at his research, I can find out what he did to make it possible."

"You realize there's a snowball's chance in hell of you even finding that research, let alone being able to duplicate the procedure right?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Yes!" she gestured wildly, "but he is my father, and I will do what it takes to help him!" she was trying to get me to understand her point.

"You'd be better off just staying here."

"And holding his hand as he dies and leaves this town in chaos? I will not. I have lost one parent. I will not lose another to a disease. I'm going with you." she steeled her gaze. She looked fierce, like she might bite me if I told her no.

"Akina knows?" she nodded. "And she's ok with this?"

"She would go with me, but she has family. She will stay, and I will go. We can communicate through the bond we share." I didn't ask her to clarify. It was clearly a mutant thing that didn't concern me.

"It's not going to be easy. You're going to have to rough it." I warned her.

"I'm not a princess. Roughing it does not bother me." she assured me.

"You might see more naked men on this trip," I said with a straight face.

The corners of her lips twitched. "I believe that you may have desensitized me to the male form. So I wouldn't worry about it if I were you." I grinned at her.

"I have that effect on people." she rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"So, I can go with you?" she confirmed.

"We'll leave in the morning. Stryker's long gone anyway. Do you have a passport?" she shook her head. "No problem. We'll have to get fake ones anyway."

"Where are we going?" she questioned.

"We're going to find an old colleague of mine who might be willing to help us out. I think he's still in America somewhere." I pulled out my duffle bag and began putting my clothing into it.

"Why would he help?" she helped me fold some shirts.

"Because I'm pretty sure we're in the same boat." her brow creased as she lapsed into her thoughts.

"Alright. I'd better go get ready," she said. She gave me a last little smile, then started to back out of the room.

"Pack light!" I called after her.

"I will," she assured me.

"And don't worry tonight. You're going to need sleep to be ready for tomorrow." she gave me a wry smile.

"I don't think I will be sleeping too well tonight." she sighed.

"Come here," I gestured to her. She stepped toward me wearily. "Trust me," I told her. She opened her mouth to say something but I reached out and touched a spot between her neck and shoulder. She slumped over unceremoniously into my arms. I justified using a pressure point to knock her out by assuring myself that she would get enough sleep. She was going to need all her energy. Since her room was ruined, I put her under the covers in my bed, then I wandered out of the room to pack some stuff for her. You can never trust a woman to pack light. They over think too many things.

By the time I was done, it was late into the night. I needed to sleep too. I moseyed back to my room and flopped down next to Kioni. I shut my eyes, willing myself into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks to the few of you who have reviewed! I'll keep going.**

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It was still dark when we left early in the morning. Joshua shook my hand and bid his daughter a fond farewell. Akina shed a few tears, her husband gave his sister-in-law a bone-crushing hug and the kids were too tired to really show much emotion, but kissed their aunt goodbye. I threw our bags into the back of a jeep Joshua was letting us borrow, then we climbed in and were on our way.

We had to get to Nairobi to catch a flight to the States. Neither of us had a passport, but I wasn't too worried. I could forge on easily enough, or we could find someone to do it for us. We rumbled down a dusty road in silence for a while. Kioni seemed to be realizing the gravity of what we were about to do. I, for once, didn't want to interrupt her. If everything went well, we would be killing at least two people. I didn't know when I was first exposed to killing, but I knew it was a hard pill to swallow. Not that I was going to let her commit the actual act--I don't think she had the skill anyway-- but still, murder's one of those things people typically have a problem with. I stayed silent for a half hour (a record for me) before I couldn't take it anymore. She had contemplated long enough.

"How'd you sleep?" I asked loudly over the sounds of the jeep.

"Huh?" she snapped out of her musing suddenly, like I had slapped her. "Oh, I slept well. Whatever you did had me out like a rock." I nodded. She didn't make any effort to continue the conversation. Clearly I was going to have to carry the conversation and drive. Good thing I can multitask.

"Want to know the plan for today?" I asked again.

She shrugged. "I suppose that would be beneficial." I almost rolled my eyes. I know her dad has cancer and that we're going on a revenge mission and there was a possibility that we might fail horribly and die, but seriously, she needed to stop acting all depressed.

"We're going to go to Nairobi, find passports and book it over to America." I explained cheerfully.

"Where in America?" she questioned. At least she was talking now.

"Do you know the States?"

"A little bit, not too well though." she admitted.

"Pennsylvania. It's near the East coast." she nodded.

"Why there?" she asked after a moment.

"It's the last place I remember being before I woke up in Africa." I left out where in Pennsylvania we were going. I didn't know if she knew about nuclear energy or not, but people tend to freak about it. I also left out the fact that I'm pretty sure my spinning head destroyed part of it. It briefly occurred to me that releasing nuclear waste into the environment may not have been good and could have possibly caused a panic. Ah well, I wasn't around to see the fall out so it didn't matter much to me.

"I've always wanted to visit America," Kioni commented. "But I must confess, I always hoped it would be for vacation. Or at very least a diplomatic visit."

I smiled. "Well, we can make it enjoyable. And I'd consider ridding the world of two assholes would be a diplomatic action." she chuckled a little.

"How do you make a revenge trip enjoyable?" she asked incredulously.

"We can sight see as we hunt them down," I shrugged. "Plus, you're with me, baby. I can make it as enjoyable as you want it." I waggled my eyebrows at her. She snorted.

"I'll pass, thank you."

"Your loss," I warned her.

"Really?" she remarked snidely, "I think it's yours." she imitated my eyebrow gesture pretty accurately. I just laughed.

"Suit yourself." Kioni rolled her eyes. The silence settled over us again, but I filled it by whistling. I didn't remember what the name of the song was, or who sang it, but it flowed effortlessly. Kioni listened for a minute before she began humming along with me. Apparently she knew the song as well. I finished and we both held out the last note.

Kioni began to laugh. "You're a Michael Jackson fan?"

"A what?" my eyebrow almost jumped off of my face at her comment.

"You were whistling 'Human Nature'. It is a Michael Jackson song," she explained a little bewildered.

"I guess I am. I didn't know what song it was." she regarded me intensely for a moment.

"Sometimes I forget that you have so few memories. You are good at not letting on. But it makes me sad during moments like these."

"It makes you sad?" I asked her incredulously. "Why?"

"Because memories are such a special thing. And you've been deprived of them. Suppose you had a family, a wife. You wouldn't know now." she remarked simply. "You didn't even know who sang the song you were whistling."

I scoured my mind for a comeback. She caught me off guard with her sympathy. "How did you know the song I was whistling? He's American." I nudged her playfully and she let me change the subject.

"Everyone knows MJ. He is what you might call a musical genius. I have heard he has released a new record. It has not come to us yet." I smiled at her.

"I don't think I've heard it. We should get it if we can." she beamed.

"That would be nice," she admitted. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head. "There is a small village up ahead. Can we stop?" she asked.

"We can't stop until we get to Nairobi." she looked questioningly at me. "If we stop, we have a bigger chance of being seen and remembered, especially in a small town. So we're going to drive until we get about two miles outside of the city. I'm going to park in a spot I arranged with your dad and we're going to walk the rest of the way. Then we're going to either stow away on a plane or find a way to get passports. I think it will be easier to stow away."

She was giving me a bewildered look. "Stow away?"

"Well, I have to take my swords with me. Customs isn't too crazy about brining weapons on planes. Plus, if we stow away, less people would see us. We're trying to stay as under the radar as possible."

"Alright. That makes sense," she agreed.

"I've got this," I semi-teased her. "Just trust me."

"I do," she looked at me earnestly. "I don't know why, but I do. I feel like we've known each other longer than we have. It's strange."

Wow. She just got mad deep on me. It threw me into a weird space. "I guess." I said. "I might just be a open person."

She sucked in her bottom lip in thought. "I generally take a while to open up to people. Even with my mutation. It's hard when you sense everyone's every desire. But you," she looked up at me like I was an oil painting. "You've got a sort of energy about you. I don't know how to place it."

"Then don't." I ruffled her hair. "Just roll with it." she brushed my hand away with a laugh.

"How long until we get there?" she fixed her braids.

"Maybe another half hour." I gave her a mischievous grin, "Unless…" her questioning look was cut short by me pressing down on the gas pedal. The jeep lurched forward with a bounce and a growl and we tore off down the road. Kioni gasped and grabbed onto the dashboard.

"Wade!" she screamed in mild horror.

She got over the shock of driving 100 mph eventually and we cut traveling time in half. I parked in a barn structure two miles outside of town, tucked the keys into my pocket (the guy who was driving the car back later today had a spare set) and headed off. Kioni insisted she carry her own bag, which was fine with me.

The sun was starting to rise when we finally got into town. The world was sort of orangey and it was still chilly out. Kioni was contemplative the entire time.

"Alright," I instructed her when we got into town. "I'm going to go scope things out. I'll be back in a half hour."

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, a little irritated.

"Go grab us breakfast. Go to the bathroom. Take a nap. I don't know, but stay in this area." she cut her eyes at me but nodded.

"You'll be back in a half hour?" she asked.

"Sit tight doll." I nodded and told her.

I hurried off. Normally it was easier to stay incognito, but seeing as I'm white and this is Africa, I was going to have to work a lot harder. I stuck to the outskirts of town, dipping around until I came across a sort of makeshift airport. There were a bunch of tiny planes, carrying everything from produce to parrots, to people. They looked shady. They were perfect.

I hurried back to where I had left Kioni. She was sitting with a bag of fruit and some jerky, loading a tape into some little device.

"I found a plane," I greeted her.

"I found Michael Jackson tapes. You can play them in this," she held up a walkman.

"Cool," I would be excited about it later. "We've got a small window to do this though. So let's go." It was still mostly dark out. We needed to get on before the pilots arrived to take off. She gathered up the food and handed me the walkman. She had been trying to put the tape in backwards. I smiled and flipped it over and clipped the thing shut. "Where'd you get this?" I asked her as we hurried toward the planes.

"At the grocery store. It was against the wall with the cleaning supplies." she chuckled a little. "I had to buy them. I couldn't get it to work though."

"You were putting that tape in backwards." I laughed.

"Oh. I've only ever had records." We came up on the airport again. Now came the tricky part. I had rooted around earlier to see what the planes were carrying. You see, I didn't want to end up in Costa Rica, or Alaska. I needed one that was going to the east coast of America. The one with parrots I could count out. Then I found one carrying knock-off handbags. Bingo. That would at least get us to New York. I picked the lock using one of Kioni's hair things and helped her inside. It was a relatively small plane, so we weren't in danger of suffocating in the cargo hold. I tossed our bags in after Kioni, hefted myself up and sat next to her.

"So this is comfy," I remarked as we settled down in between piles of fake Prada bags. Kioni shoved a pile aside and rearranged the bags so we could use them as a pillow. We sat around whispering to each other for almost an hour before I heard the pilot coming. Then we laid down and I pulled out the walkman. I set it between us, plugged in two sets of headphones (cool huh? I didn't remember that feature) and the album _Thriller_ started playing.

We listened as the plane took off and through three more songs.

"Do you remember these songs?" Kioni whispered somewhere in the middle of Beat it.

"Yeah, I do," I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. Kioni smiled too and shut her eyes. It was nice to remember.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to the those of you who have reviewed and read! Let me know what you think!**

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So even though we left at around 5 in the morning in Nairobi, we got to the US around midnight the day before. Time zones are trippy. The plane landed somewhere in upstate New York. It was tricky getting out undetected. In the end, I kicked out a part of the plane and the pilot hurried over to see what had broken. Then we snuck out of the back and ran like hell. I'm sure he saw the backs of us, but we were wearing heavy coats, so he couldn't even identify hair or skin color. We ran for nearly a mile before Kioni got tired.

We slowed down and blended in with the dark surroundings. People were still milling around since it was a Friday. We looked pretty shady in our hoods, so we pulled then off and walked down the sidewalk. Kioni's eyes were darting everywhere, trying to absorb everything. She looked like a total tourist. A thought occurred to me.

"Can you speak English?" I asked her.

She tore her eyes away from a giant fountain to look at me. "I can speak a small amount. I understand it better than I speak it." she said very slowly. Her accent still came through, and she spoke it literally, but it was a relief to know she had at least some English under her belt. It was still going to be tough though, being inconspicuous with a Swahili speaking, exotic woman in tow.

"We're going to have to work on that," I remarked. She didn't hear me. She was already back to looking around at everything. We came up on a Holiday Inn. I grabbed Kioni's hand and tugged her toward it. She regarded the hotel with wide eyes.

"It's very large," she said in English. It was actually a midsize hotel. I told her so. She nodded. "There is much I do not know about America," she mused. Her English made me chuckle. She gave me a small, nervous smile and followed me into the lobby. I did the talking as we checked in. I handed her our room key and she studied it as we walked to our room. I had chosen one on the first floor in case we needed to leave quickly. Kioni unlocked the door and I flipped on the light.

It was a standard room: tacky floral wall paper, two bedside tables that were a throwback to the 70s, dark gray carpet, yellow lamps, a TV and free cable. I dropped our bags on the carpet, threw my jacket over the chair and asked her if she wanted the shower first. Kioni was bent over the little table, looking curiously through the drawer.

"First?" she asked. "Is not the bathroom down the hall?" I flopped down on the bed.

"First of all, use contractions," I told her. "proper English will give you away." at her confused look, I clarified, "it'll make you obviously a tourist," she nodded in understanding. "And secondly, we have our own bathroom. It's not a community one."

She looked shocked. I thought it was funny that so composed of a woman could be reduced to a childlike state by a single bathroom. She opened the door and peaked in, then entered. I followed her lazily. She pulled the shower curtain back and inspected the tub.

"You like it?" I asked. She jumped a foot. Apparently she hadn't realized I had followed her.

"Don't scare me like that!" she admonished me with a hand to my chest. Her fingertips brushed a spot of bare skin against my neck. A sort of current pulsed between us and for a second it seemed like our minds merged. It was over as quickly as it started, but it left some sort of imprint. It was like a physic hum. I knew without asking that the hum was Kioni's desires.

Her eyes widened and she snatched her hand back. "I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I haven't done that in a long time…" she reverted back to Swahili.

"No problem," I shook it off and smiled at her.

She continued to stare at me, as if she was contemplating telling me something. Her mouth opened and closed, and then she too regained composure. "This is all very nice," she said in English. She gestured to the bathroom.

"You're easy to please" I teased her and she smiled.

"Thank you for allowing me to come," she said seriously.

"You won't be thanking me when we stop staying in hotels and start doing what we came here for." Kioni gave me an attentive look. "Stay here and take a shower. I'm going to go out and score us some money."

"That is agreeable." she said. I laughed again.

"That's ok." I corrected, "Use 'okay'," I told her.

"Ok." she agreed. "What will we do once you have this money. And where will you get it?"

"Trust me, you're happier off not knowing," I assured her. "And after that we're going to get a car and start looking for Logan,"

She accepted this. "Ok." she shot me a mischievous little look.

"Ok." I agreed.

Kioni went to take her shower and I changed my shirt, threw my coat back on and headed outside. It was pretty cold out considering it was fall and I had adjusted to the gorgeous African weather. I walked down the sidewalk as nonchalantly as possible, heading for where I figured downtown was. I got there after a ten minute walk. A high class looking club was bumping music up the street. Perfect. It was about one in the morning. Kids with their daddy's credit card were wasted and stumbling around in there, trying to score someone to go home with. I couldn't ask for a better hunting ground. I walked around to the back of the club and found a small window. I shrugged my jacket off, tucked it into a soggy cardboard box, pried the window open and squeezed in. I landed in the back room where they keep the cleaning supplies. I walked out sporting a tight t-shirt like I owned the place and headed toward the dance floor. Frat boys and girls in heels and shiny bikini tops were grinding all over each other. It smelled like booze and cash. I looked for a big group and found it: a huge group of horny strangers forming a chain. I walked up and they pulled me toward them. I worked my way around people, picking off wallets, feeling in pockets for credit cards and cash. In 10 minutes I had five credit cards and a wad of what looked like pretty decent sized bills. I made my way to the back of the club where an ATM machine sat alone. I pulled the cards out one by one, took out the maximum amount on each a couple of times and headed back toward the back room, my pockets filled with bills. The credit cards, wiped clean of my prints, sat in a pile near the ATM machine. I climbed out the window, threw my jacket back on and headed home.

Halfway back to the hotel, I felt some sort of mental tickle. It was identical to what I felt in Africa from that spandex-wearing bitch. I strengthened my mental shields and quickened my pace slightly. It was nearly two in the morning before I got back. I opened the door to our room. Kioni was sitting on the bed staring at Cinemax, her previously braided hair hanging in fluffy waves all over her head. She looked slightly distressed. She sighed in relief when she saw me.

"Did you get it?" she asked.

"Nice hair," I greeted. I took my jacket off and tossed it onto the bed next to her. I flopped down next to her.

"Well?" she looked down on me from her fuzzy halo of hair.

I fished into my pocket and pulled out the roll of bills. I handed it to her. "Count it for me," I told her. "I'm going to shower." I was standing under the water contemplating what we were going to do next. We needed to get to Pennsylvania. We could buy a car, but I didn't want to leave a paper trail. I could steal one, but that would be the same concept. I'd need fake plates and a new paint job and everything else. Damn. We weren't going to be as under-the-radar as I thought. That annoying little tickling feeling started up again and I tried to shake it off. I was flooding my head with water when I heard the door to the bathroom open. I popped my head out of the shower.

Kioni was rushing into the bathroom, her face ashen. "Do you hear that?" she asked, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Hear what?" I was semi annoyed now. I reached for a towel and tied it around my waist before stepping out of the shower. Kioni didn't even glance at my dripping wet chest. That's when I knew it was serious.

"A man. A man's voice. I think it's in my head." Oh damn. Was she going crazy? Because I am in no mood to deal with a crazy person right now. I started thinking about the quickest way to get out of the bathroom when the tickle came back, but this time it was more of a slap. I grasped my head in surprise. "Do you hear it?" Kioni asked more insistently.

I didn't hear it, and I wasn't about to open my mind up to it. Kioni had other ideas. She lurched forward, grabbed my face between her hands and pushed her way in. Whatever she was hearing echoed in my head. It was a man. And not only was he talking, but he was talking directly to me.

"Hello Wade," the man had a clear, deep voice. He sounded like he had British manners, but he was American. "I have been trying to contact you for several hours now, but you are exceptionally skilled at closing your mind. And I apologize to the lady. I have not been informed of your name."

"Who the flaming hell are you?" I could have said it out loud, or thought it, but all three of us heard it.

"My apologies," the voice said. "I am Charles Xavier."

"And how do you know me?" I couldn't keep the edge out of my voice.

"It is difficult to explain this way." the voice, Xavier, sounded mildly distressed.

"You better start trying," Kioni opened her eyes and we stared at each other. I did need our minds to be connected to know she was worried.

"I have been following the work of a certain William Stryker for some time now. I knew he was conduction some sort of experiments involving kidnapping mutants of various powers. I was searching for a way to free all of these mutants when it came in the form of a certain mutant named Logan. I believe you are searching for him now. I can help." Xavier explained.

"Why would you want to help us?" Kioni finally chimed in. Good question.

"I know who you're after. And let's just say I would not be opposed to ridding the world of William Stryker," the voice held a disdain I could relate to.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" I asked.

"You don't." the voice said simply. "But it could answer questions that have plagued you. Like why you no longer posses your memories."

I gave Kioni a searching look. She looked like she was unsure. 'Your decision' she mouthed to me in Swahili.

I gave it a seconds thought. "Alright. I'll give it a shot. But if you try anything--"

"You will undoubtedly make me suffer for it," Xavier sounded somewhat amused. "A car is waiting for you a mile south of where you are now. If you want to meet, I suggest you find it. I hope to see you soon," the voice was gone, leaving a echoing silence. Through our connection I could feel Kioni's uncertainty. I projected my trademark confidence back at her.

"Let's go meet this voice," I told her.

"Ok," she agreed.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here goes another one! I'm going to keep them rolling as best as I can. Let me know what you think of my writing, please?**

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Turns out the voice in Kioni and my heads was a mutant's. No big shock there. Turns out this mutant is a powerful telepath. Once again, I wasn't reeling in surprise. Turns out the guy is a teacher. Now that was a little shocking. What was most shocking was the fact that he was filthy stinking rich. I mean, hella rich He ran a boarding school, get this, for mutants. The place was overrun by pubescent kids of all colors, brown, black, white, blue and orange, some with scales, some too obviously mutant to be out and about in society, some that could pass for human, and one vaguely familiar, mysterious sunglass-clad kid who shot us a weary look as we arrived. His girlfriend, some red head jail bait looking chick, waved cheerily as we passed. Kioni looked calm, but I could feel her pulsing with uncertainty. Her muscles were drawn tight, ready to explode on the drop of a dime. I felt the same.

It had been a little bit of a drive from our hotel to the school, Xavier's Institution for Gifted Youngsters; the mutant kids were just starting to wake up and head to classes when we arrived. Some kid teleported past us, and Kioni watched.

"I didn't know there was such a wide range of powers," she told me. I knew. This was just scratching the surface. There were mutants who could walk through walls, who could smash metal to bits with their bare hands, who could control minds and actions, who could kill you with a look. They were considered dangerous, and therefore valuable for exploitation. I had a feeling I fell into that category somewhere, and had maybe seen more like me. The school seemed like a safe haven, but who knows? It could have easily been a cover for a mutant slave operation or for experiments. The thought turned my stomach with anger. I nodded at Kioni when she looked at me for an answer. I didn't want to talk about it right now. She seemed content enough and watched our guide, a tall, older guy with a bowler cap on his head, as he lead us down the hall.

The man said his name was Erik Lensher. He didn't look thrilled to see us, but he too was polite. But he was not the voice. He was apparently the voice's best friend and call boy. He didn't seem to think too highly of me at first, but was unfailingly kind to Kioni. I chalked it up to her being slightly prettier than me. Or at least to my absence of boobs. Anyway, he led us through this maze of a school and into a office. He pushed open a huge, ornate oak door. The room smelled like leather and ink and books. Standing beside the desk, talking to a young teen black girl with a head of shockingly white hair, stood another older guy. He was bald though, unlike his silver-haired comrade, with dark brows and eyes. He smiled kindly as we entered. Erik greeted him.

"Good morning, Charles. I have done what you asked," Erik sat down in one of the old fashioned, brown leather chairs and crossed his legs.

"Thank you, Erik," Charles looked up from the girl to give his friend a polite nod. "I will talk to you later, Ororo. And in the meantime, please refrain from practicing nudity," he said it in Swahili. I couldn't hide my laugh and Kioni smiled a bit too. Charles shot us a look and the girl nodded like she didn't quite understand all the fuss. She gave us a tiny smile then was out the door.

"You speak Swahili?" Kioni asked in her native tongue. She seemed pleasantly surprised. Charles faced us and nodded.

"I do. Among other languages." he sat himself behind the desk and gave us a warm look.

"But you did not ask them here to discuss phonology," Erik said pointedly.

"That is true, old friend." Charles agreed.

"What _did _you ask us here for?" I cut to the chase. Xavier gestured for us to sit. Kioni lowered herself into a chair but I stood just behind her.

"Very well then," Charles sighed when he realized I was refusing to sit. Erik gave me an almost admiring look and a small smile. I just cocked my brow at him.

"We asked you here, young man, because I believe we hate a common person." Erick said.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say we hate him," Charles reproached.

"I hate him." Erick said, unconcerned, "and at very least he is certainly an enemy. That you cannot dispute Charles."

"No, I cannot," he sighed again and leaned forward.

"Still doesn't explain why I'm standing in your office." I said.

"You're standing here because we know you want to kill William Stryker. And we wouldn't mind it if you did." Xavier moved to protest, but Erik held up a silencing hand. "However, it has come to our attention that you may need help in this area. And finding a certain other comrade."

"And how are you going to find him? The same way you found us? Stalk him and invade his thoughts?" Erik smiled again but Charles hastened to speak.

"I apologize again for my manner of contacting you, but time is of the essence and it was faster than looking you up in the yellow pages. As for how we found you--"

"You need not worry about that," Erik cut his friend off, "Let's just say it is one of Charles' many talents." I could live with that explanation. Hell, it was just one more thing I didn't know.

"So use them to find Logan for us," I didn't care I was being rude. I hate false pleasantries.

"He is unfortunately more difficult to pinpoint than you." Charles explained. "However, there may be a way to find him. There is a mutant named Remy Lebeau who inhabits New Orleans. I believe you two are acquainted."

I did know the guy. A memory came into focus. Me playing cards in a cell with a brunette man with burning red eyes and a penchant for winning at poker. "Gambit," I said. Kioni looked up at me in surprise, but remained silent.

"The same," Erick said. "We know where he is."

"And he will help us find this Logan how?" Kioni asked uncertainly. Her English sounded flawless. I couldn't help but admire her.

"This Mr. Lebeau has had contact with Logan. I believe he may know where he is." Charles explained.

"Alright, so what's the catch?" I asked.

"Excuse me?" Xavier pretended to look affronted.

"No one gives something for nothing," I told him. "What do you want for the information?"

"Oh, he's perceptive," Erick sounded delighted. His friend looked exasperated. "It's simple really. We want you to get the job done. And perhaps, after you get the job done…" he trailed off and looked to his partner.

"There may be a place at the school for you." Xavier said simply.

"I think I'm a little too old to be in PE." I said.

"Oh my boy, surely you can sense that there is more to all this than meets the eye," Xavier admonished. His voice echoed around in my head as he spoke. I smirked.

"Yeah, that much I got. And we'll see. I have to get Stryker first. We'll take it one step at a time." All three people in the room smiled at me.

"Fair enough," Erick agreed.

"So where do we find this Gambit?" Kioni asked.

Charles retrieved a manila envelope from a drawer in his desk and handed it to her. Kioni looked at me and I nodded. She opened it up, read the paper inside and handed it to me.

It was a series of addresses in New Orleans that Gambit was know to haunt. This should be easy enough. I put the paper back in the envelope and tucked it under my arm.

"And another thing, miss?" Kioni looked at Xavier, but did not give her name.

"Yes?" she said simply.

"You may have an interest in some research I acquired. I only ask that you return here before returning home so that I may give it to you," Kioni's eyes widened for a split second, but she regained composure.

"Alright," she agreed. I stepped in.

"Thanks for the help boys," I told the two old guys. Kioni stood up and thanked them as well.

"One moment," Charles told us.

"There's one more thing we need to give you." Erick smiled.

Which is how I found myself cruising down the highways in a '66 black Mustang, Kioni in the passenger seat next to me. The trunk was loaded with all sorts of interesting gadgets and information, and the dashboard compartment held another manila envelope, this one filled with money. We had rich financers. Sweet.

"So what'd you think of those two?" I asked Kioni.

She shrugged. "It is interesting that they are so close. Erick has much darker desires than Xavier."

"Does he?" I took a swig out of a coke bottle and passed it to her.

"Yes. They have the same cause, but two different outlooks. It will lead to conflict one day." she took the bottle and brought it to her lips.

I was momentarily distracted by the motion. "So is fortune telling part of your mutation now?" I teased her.

"No, but people's desires help influence their choices. And life revolves around choices," Kioni handed the soda back to me.

"Makes sense," I let her have that one. "I liked Erick better."

"He liked you." she said distractedly, her eyes now on the map of the US.

"He _liked _me?" I asked in horror. Kioni looked up long enough to roll her eyes.

"Not like that," she admonished. "He admired your outlook on life. He wants to see where you're going to go with your life after you are done with this revenge thing. He thinks you are talented. He would like for you to ally yourself with him." Interesting…It occurred to me then, how useful Kioni was as an asset. She could read anyone like a book.

"Can you read everyone like that?" I questioned her.

"For the most part, yes. Some are harder than others."

"Read me." I told her.

She laughed softly. "I do all the time. You are an enigma, Wade Wilson."

"How so?" I turned onto another highway.

"Your desires are often fleeting. You are good at hiding your deeper feelings. You don't dwell on anything for too long. For instance, in the time we have been having this conversation, you have wanted a soda, then to kiss me, then to pull over, and then wanted something called a taco. It is baffling." I laughed.

"A taco is delicious. You can't leave here without one." I told her. "And you can tell all that?"

"Mhhh, hmmm," she nodded absently. "Your true character is disguised. I don't even think you know what it is. But you seem inherently good, overall." I wasn't so sure about that. She sensed it. "Don't doubt it," she instructed evenly.

"It's hard not to. You try not having memories. It puts a serious damper on the day. Sometimes being sexy isn't enough. You need to know things occasionally."

Kioni laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Well, all I know is, whoever you were, you have a chance to start over, to be whoever you want to be. It is a rare opportunity. I should hope you choose well." she gave me a warm smile then went back to her map. I stared at her for a second, then wondered something. I gave her a once over, then had a sudden, dirty thought.

"I am _not_ going to do that. So please stop," she instructed without looking up.

Damn it she was good at that. I wondered how many states we were going to get through before that got old to me. I was betting I could think one dirty thing for every letter of the alphabet. Time to test my theory.

A is for….

"WADE!"

Haha. This was going to make this drive a lot more entertaining.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Dang I'm on a roll! Thanks for the reviews! Let me know what you think of my writing, please?**

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New Orleans has to be one of my favorite places on Earth. The moment we drove in, a rush of memories came back with the smells and colors. The place is all vibrant energy, all tradition and music and food. I've been to a lot of places, some I remember, some I don't, but New Orleans is untouched in it's culture. I navigated down the streets easily, with no need of a map. People waved from shops and porches. I waved back. Kioni's eyes were back to saucer-proportions.

"Wow," she breathed as we pulled into the French Quarter. Jazz floated through the air and wafted into our car, mixing with scents of jambalaya and gumbo.

"What do you say we stop?" I asked her. "I'm starving."

"That sounds good." I parked the car at a meter, fed it some change and then looked at my partner. I reached for her hand. She gave me a weary look. Maybe I should have eased up on my desires in the car. I gave her a reassuring smile.

"We'll be more inconspicuous if we act like a couple," Kioni apparently couldn't find and argument for my logic and wrapped her hand in my own.

"Alright," she agreed. I led her down the streets. It was hard not to dip into the jazz clubs and bars we passed. But I had a feeling, and I had to stick with it. We walked maybe a half mile down the streets before I saw a shadier bar. Jazz still leaked out of it, but it wasn't as colorful as it's counterparts. Kioni eyed it with slight distaste. "Do you think he's there?" she asked, reading my desires.

"He might be. We can go in and scope it out." I flicked my eyes over the place, mentally casing it.

"I think, it's be better if I go alone. He knows you already," she explained, "I'm just a face in the crowd. I can get near enough to perhaps lure him outside. Then we can talk to him."

"How are you going to do that?" I asked her. She smiled.

"Please, men are easy. A little cleavage, a smile, it's not hard." I gave her a surprised look. I've never took her for a temptress.

"You're going to seduce him outside?"

"Seduce would imply that I use effort. I am going to walk in and he will follow me out." she said confidently. She unzipped the jacket she was wearing just enough to expose some of her body. She let go of my hand and with a wink and a smile Kioni sashayed her way into the building. I walked around the street waiting. I could feel what she was doing somehow, like she was projecting her plan at me. After about ten minutes, I felt her pulse with a strong desire for me to go to the east side of the building. I casually hurried over.

Kioni was standing in the alley way with a man wearing a long brown trench coat. He was leaning on the wall, obviously flirting. Kioni had a small smile on her lips and was leaning forward. They were speaking French seductively. I snuck up behind them. Kioni kept her eyes of me and her attention on the crimson-eyed mutant.

Remy Lebeau was about 6 feet tall and unmistakably Cajun. He had longish dark brown hair and blazing red eyes. He was laughing, his face sporting stubble way past a five-o-clock shadow. His movements were calculated, effortless, with the finesse of a thief. He wore fingerless gloves and was playing with something, a deck of cards. His mouth was twisted into a flirtatious smile, one that Kioni was mirroring. I knew that Remy was a skilled thief and con artist. He oozed charm and charisma. Not as much as me, but still. I was blanking on his mutation though.

I took a step closer to him, grabbed his shoulder and was suddenly reminded. In an instance, the card he held glowed as red as his irises, hit me in the chest and threw me back ten feet. I hit the stone wall of the building with a sickening crunch. Ah, that's right. He can kinesthetically charge items. He charged another card and threw it. I recovered from the first, rolled and it bounced off the wall above me. I was up and had him pinned in a second. His eyes glowed and I felt my arms tingle with a weird energy. The bastard was going to charge and throw me. He smiled devilishly. I was a second away from knocking him out and carrying him back to the car when Kioni intervened.

"Stop!" she instructed us both. "Remy, we just want to talk to you."

"Qui?" he asked sarcastically. "Looks to me like you want to do more than talk, petite." he growled at me and my arms started to charge again.

"How's life been, Gambit?" I asked as I smashed him into the wall.

"Was pretty good until you showed up, Wilson." He smashed his forehead into mine and I staggered back an inch. It was enough for him to escape my grasp and start to move away. Kioni halted him with a hand to his shoulder.

"Wade, stop it," she said to me in Swahili. Then she looked back at Lebeau. "We just need to ask you a question," she told him in flawless French. She must have picked it up in the Africa. "Please just listen to us. Then you can leave if you choose to."

Gambit regarded us carefully. I made no move to restrain him again. He looked back at Kioni. "Why are you keeping company like this, chere? Surely a woman as beautiful as you can do better?"

"Watch it Cajun," I warned him.

"I heard you died on the island. What are you doing back?" Remy asked me.

"I didn't die." Ok, so technically I did. But I didn't know how to explain that myself and was in no hurry to tell this guy about it. "And I'm back because I'm going to kill Stryker," Remy laughed.

"I've heard that before. That plan didn't turn out so hot, no?"

"That's because it wasn't me trying to kill him," I shot back.

"I don't know. That Logan seemed pretty good at what he did." Remy leaned back against the wall and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"That's who we want to ask you about," Kioni interjected.

"Logan?" Remy looked surprised. "What you want him for? He's worse off than this one," he jerked his head in my direction.

"What do you mean?" she asked confusedly.

"Somethin' happened on that island. Somethin' bad," he shook a cigarette out of the box and placed it between his lips.

"Spill Gambit," I told him.

"I showed Logan where the island was when he came looking for me. When I went back for him, he was fine. The place was torn to bits, but he was alright. I went off to help the kids who were prisoners get off safely," he lit the cigarette and took a long drag. "When I got back, homes has got a huge hole in his head and he's snarling at me like he doesn't know who I am. Like he doesn't know who he is." he exhaled and studied the glowing ember of his cigarette.

"He lost his memory?" Kioni asked Remy but looked at me.

"Qui." he turned his glowing eyes to Kioni. "he ran off, but I followed him. Didn't feel right lettin' him run off like that."

"Since when are you charitable?" I asked him.

"I have my moments," he fired back. "Anyways, he was wandering around in a haze. Didn't know anything 'bout who he was."

"Like you," Kioni said quietly to me. Gambit heard her.

"You lost your memory too, eh?" Gambit regarded me.

"It sucks," I confirmed.

"What'd they do to you?" he asked.

"I don't know. I barely remember being on the island." I told him.

"The island?" Kioni finally asked.

"A place they took muties like us. Ran experiments on us." Remy's voice was full of bitter disdain. "I used to be a prisoner there. Wilson here was my guard. Treated me alright, for a government tool," he smiled slowly.

"A tool?" Kioni looked at me. She didn't get the double meaning. I shrugged. I knew I was a bit of an asshole, but I resented being called a tool. "What did Wade do while he was there?"

"I don't know much, chere," Gambit held up his palms. "All I know is one day he disappeared and another guard took his place. But not before he let it slip that the guards changed at midnight. Gave me the tools to escape he did. Which is the only reason I didn't blow you sky high just now," he explained.

"Thanks," Gambit nodded and took another drag. "So you don't know what happened to me?"

"Non," he said.

"What happened to the other man? Logan?" Kioni seemed determined to have all her questions answered. I had other ideas.

"You hungry, Gambit?"

"I could eat," he said nonchalantly. "Is the lady hungry?" he shot her another flirtatious look. She zipped her jacket back up.

"I think Kioni's hungry," I answered for her. She glared at me.

"Don't look so serious, petite. Remy will take you for a good meal," he smiled charmingly, "you too Wade," he added as an afterthought.

Ten minutes later we were in a jazz club up the road, steaming bowls of shrimp gumbo in front of us. Gambit and I tucked in immediately, but Kioni studied us like she would love nothing more than to kick both of our asses.

"Do we have time for this, Wade?" she whispered when Gambit began to flirt with our waitress.

"Relax," I assured her, "and eat. I've got this."

Kioni looked less than convinced. "It is hard to relax when half the men in this restaurant are thinking inappropriate thoughts, this Gambit included," I laughed at her. She looked pissed.

"You don't get mad at me when I do it," I pointed out. She sighed.

"I pretend that you are joking," she admitted. I threw my arm around the back of the chair and kissed her possessively on the lips. When I pulled back, her mouth was hanging wide open.

"There you go. I bet they stop now," I told her and went back to my gumbo. Across the table Lebeau was laughing at Kioni's shocked expression.

"Is he that bad of a kisser, chere?" he chuckled. Kioni closed her mouth and stirred her food. When she finally dug in and the waitress tore herself away from Lebeau, I did what we had come to do.

"We're looking for Logan. I want to take down Strkyer, but he's got Creed and some other chick with him. If I'm going to do this, I need backup." I told Remy pointblank.

"And you want Logan, qui?" Remy leaned back in his chair.

"We need you to tell us where he is," I pushed my bowl away.

"I will, on one condition." Kioni's brow went up.

"Name it," I said.

"Remy wants to come. I remember Creed, and I've got a score to settle with him."

I smiled. This couldn't have worked out better. Kioni looked shocked again and looked at me. I shot her a 'you should trust me more' look and then turned my attention back to the Cajun. "We've got a deal. Now where do we find Logan."

"He's in Tennessee." Remy said.

We paid and rolled out of the bar. Kioni shivered in the cool night air and I draped my arm over her shoulder. She sighed, but didn't pull away.

"Where are you parked?" Remy asked.

"Over here," we started down the street.

"Whoo," Gambit whistled when he saw our car. "I call shotgun!"

"Nope. Kioni's got the front seat." Gambit looked disappointed, but clambered into the backseat anyway.

"I can respect that. Your lady rides shotgun," he said cheerfully. I didn't bother to correct him. Remy Lebeau could charm the habit off of a nun. Let him think I'll kill him if he hits on Kioni. It's not like I'm jealous or anything.

Really. I'm not.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here's another one! Tell me what you think of it!**

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You know what's not fun, no matter what it looks like on television? Getting shot at. As in, with a gun and bullets. Getting hit is the only thing worse. I take that back, getting hit by a bullet meant for the dumbass sitting next to you who is the reason you're getting chased in the first place is the worst. I know you Fanfiction readers are wondering what the hell I am talking about, and I'll tell you: the author went and wrote in an action scene. And guess who got shot? It wasn't Kioni, and it sure as hell wasn't the Cajun a-hole in the back seat.

Any takers? Oh, right. It was me. And that shit doesn't tickle.

So why did I get shot? Turns out mister smooth talker likes to gamble. Turns out he like to cheat more than he likes to gamble. Turns out the thugs who lost money to him don't like that. And it also turns out that, you guessed it, they have guns. I made the rookie mistake of stopping the car to let Remy grab some stuff for the trip to find Logan. Kioni and I were sitting in the Mustang outside of Gambit's apartment. I was showing her how to work the tape deck in the car. The tape got caught in the player and we got caught up in trying to fish it out. We were so distracted that I didn't hear the car pull in until it was right behind us. I had just enough time to push Kioni down when I saw the barrel of a gun. The bullet came from some guy in the front seat of an El Camino. Luckily my window was down, because I would have been more pissed if I had to pay to get the glass fixed.

The bullet lodged itself in my right bicep. I cursed in every language I could think of as Kioni screamed. That's when the Cajun came bursting out of the door wielding a stick and beating the crap out of a bunch of Vito Corleone rejects. I told Kioni to stay down, hopped out of the car and knocked two guys with an elbow to the back of the neck before yelling at Lebeau.

"Get the hell in the car!" I screamed at him in French. He gave me a surprised look, hit one more thug upside the back of his head with the metal stick, then dove head first into the car. I was in after him, slamming the door so hard it nearly jumped off of its hinges. I threw the car in reverse and tore down the street. People around us were yelling and screaming, but no one had called the cops. It wasn't that type of a neighborhood. In fact, Remy's huge neighbor had come out of his apartment with a bat. The thugs were beating it to their car. Crap.

I switched gears, clutching my arm. Kioni looked at me. "Are you alright?" She pushed my fingers away and reached for the bullet wound, trying to stem the bleeding.

"Oh damn!" Gambit finally seemed to realized I had gotten shot. "You're bleeding all over the leather!" I shot him by best 'talk-again-and-I'll-rip-your-head-off' look.

"Get the knife out of the glove box." I told Kioni. She did so without question. This chick is great under pressure. "You have to pull the bullet out." I didn't have the time. The car was behind us and I needed to get away before they got our license plate number or started shooting again.

"With the knife!?" I swerved the car to avoid the thugs still following us and pulled onto the freeway. She was brandishing the switchblade with a crazy look in her eye. Maybe I spoke too soon.

"Kioni!" my skin was trying to heal around the metal and it hurt like hell.

"Just do it chere!" Gambit yelled at her.

"Shut up! This your fault!" she shouted back at him. But she took the blade, gave me one weary look and went for it. Ouch! It stung. She went a little too deep, but got the bullet out. Under the pressure of the knife, the metal shot out of my arm and launched itself into the back of the car, hitting Lebeau in the head. Well, that couldn't have worked out better. I would have laughed except I was focusing on not getting in a car accident. My skin sealed itself up. Gambit recovered from the bullet shell hitting him in the eye and looked up at me.

"You healed…" he said in shock. "How did you--"

"It's a recent acquisition," I brushed him off. "And I wouldn't have had to heal if you hadn't got me shot in the first place!"

"You healed. No harm done," Gambit held up his hands in surrender. Kioni glared at him.

"You better tell us where Logan is before I have Wade throw you out of this car," she glowered at him. If looks could kill, Kioni would have blown a hole straight through Remy and out of the back of the car.

"Damn, petite. Wilson is rubbing off on you," his eyes held a glimmer of fear. I looked back at Kioni, still clutching the switch blade. Lebeau may have had a point. I reached back and coaxed it out of her hand.

"Listen to her, Lebeau." I threatened once I had the knife.

"Alright! Merde!" Gambit swore. "The last time I saw Logan, he was heading toward Virginia."

"Virginia?" Kioni asked. She looked at me.

"Where in Virginia?" I asked him.

"Arlington." Gambit clarified.

"What's in Arlington?" Kioni was still on edge.

"A military cemetery." I put the knife back in the glove box and got onto the interstate.

"Why would he be there?" Gambit shrugged. Kioni looked confused.

"I don't know, but I have a hunch," I told her. It made sense to me. If Logan was anything like me, the only thing he could still remember is violence. Anything to do with the military, even a cemetery, would be enough to lure him to it. It was a good place to start looking.

After apologizing ten more times, Remy fell asleep an hour into the drive. Kioni stayed awake, alternating between asking me questions and losing herself to her thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her.

She looked over at me. "My family," she said softly.

"Are you worried about them?" she nodded.

"What if Stryker is still in Africa and something happens to them. Or if something happens to us and I never see them again? Or if I don't find something to help my dad, or if I do, but it's too late…" she trailed off.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," I told her confidently, "so that's one less thing to worry about. And the rest of the stuff…well if something goes horribly wrong and it happens, you can always tag along with me. We'll be family-less together." I flashed her a reassuring smile.

She smiled weakly back. "Somehow, that makes me feel better," she admitted.

"That's what I do," I told her. Her smile turned into a yawn. "Tired?" she nodded. I looked in the back seat. "Remy!"

He jumped awake. "What?" he asked sleepily.

"You get to drive," I told him, "Kioni's going to sleep in the back."

"Alright," he agreed like he had a choice. I pulled over and we shuffled around. Kioni spread out in the backseat, Gambit took the wheel and I piled into the passenger seat. I titled the seat back and relaxed, going over my plan in my head. Logan wasn't going to be easy to find, and he would be even harder to convince to help us. Especially if he remembered me. Our last encounter had ended with him sinking three, molten-hot claws into my neck and kicking my body Spartan-style down a nuclear reactor. Oh wait, this story is set in the 80s. _300_doesn't exist yet. That's too bad. Anyway, I don't think Logan was going to be too pleased to see me, one way or another. I mentally sighed, wondering if I should bring my katanas with me when I went to talk to him. Probably. Just because I can heal doesn't mean I want to get chopped up. Those claws didn't tickle. Maybe if Gambit came with me we could swing it without a fight. I should probably leave Kioni somewhere safe. Trouble was, I didn't want her out of sight. Something could happen. Crap, this is why I hate getting attached. I might seem like an ass, but I have feelings every once in a while and they get in the way of my lifestyle.

"That was a touching moment earlier," Gambit said out of the blue.

"What?" I looked grouchily over at him.

He smiled slyly. "So how long have you two been dating?" he asked, jerking his head toward Kioni's sleeping form.

I glared at him. "None of your damn business," I snapped.

"Oh, touched a nerve?" Gambit smiled. "You know what homes? I don't think you're really dating. I think she's free game." he looked back at her.

"She's not a target." I sat up to look at him, "And if I have to hear you flirting with her this whole trip, I swear, I'm going to cut your tongue out." I titled the chair back and shut my eyes.

Gambit's smile widened. "If you want her, I'll back off. Just say the word."

I didn't bother to open my eyes. "You'll lay off or I'll cut you up." I told him matter-of-factly. I heard him chuckle.

"Fair enough, Wilson. You saw her first." I decided I was done with this conversation.

"When we get there, where do you think we should look first?" I asked.

"The bars." Gambit said with certainty. I raised my brow. "He's been drowning his problems in booze. Most people drink to forget, but I think it helps him remember. Weird."

"Yeah," I agreed. It wasn't really that weird. Logan, if I remember correctly, always tore himself up out of guilt. Besides, he couldn't even get tipsy with his healing factor. He might as well have been drinking orange juice.

"So, how are we gonna' do this?" he asked me. "He's not exactly a people person," I laughed.

"Are you willing to take a little bit of an ass kicking?" Gambit shot me a look.

"Not by him. That's not the kind of beat down you recover from," he said simply.

"Yeah, I figured that. Well, hopefully he'll listen to us." I sighed.

"He might be a little calmer if we bring une fille," Remy suggested.

"No, Logan is dangerous at the best of times,"

"He has a soft spot for the ladies," Gambit through the information out. "They seem to calm him down."

I thought about it. "It's up to her. But yeah, I guess that could work." I admitted.

"So, we try it?" he asked.

"Yeah," I saw no other way, as much as I hated to admit that the Cajun was right, "we try it."


	8. Chapter 8

Rain was falling in sheets when we got to Virginia. It was a like a gray curtain had gone up over the world. Everything was dripping wet and freezing cold. Our breath frosted when we talked. Kioni was not amused. The intense humidity caused her blue jeans to mold to her legs and her hair had expanded to enormous proportions before she pulled it all back in a tight bun. She was shivering silently before Remy and I remembered she wasn't used to the cold. I dipped into a clothing store and came out with a heavy jacket. She shrugged into it appreciatively. We were wandering around town, looking in different bars and diners, searching for a tall, brooding, and hairy man. We had no such luck. Around lunch time we were all in a bad mood.

"Remy's starving," the Cajun complained. We were stationed outside of Arlington. Gambit was leaning on the side of the car.

"Will you shut up?" I grumbled. "And stop talking in the third person. It's irritating," he mumbled under his breath but stopped whining. Kioni smiled at me from the corner of my eye.

"I'll go get food," she offered. "I saw a sandwich place up the road a little bit. I can get there and back in a half hour. You guys can stay here and watch." I opened my mouth to protest but Gambit cut in.

"Can you get me a roast beef, belle?" Remy's bad mood suddenly lightened considerably. "And Doritos?"

Kioni looked amused. "Ok. And you, Wade?"

My stomach growled. "Can you get me two meatball subs?" I asked, giving in to my hunger.

She nodded. I handed her the money, told her to be careful, and she hopped in the car and drove off. Remy and I stood in uncomfortable silence.

"This is boring," Gambit didn't last five minutes before the whining started up again.

"Well, you were supposed to know where he was." I shot back.

He flopped down on the damp curb. "You know, you're not nearly as good company as mon mignon over there," He jerked his thumb in the direction Kioni had gone. "Where'd you find her?"

"Africa." I answered easily.

"Really? What were you doing there?"

"I woke up there with no memory. I wandered down to her town, walked around in a haze for a few weeks, then figured out I was put there by Stryker to assassinate her father and fiancé."

Remy let out a low whistle, "That's heavy."

"Yeah," I laughed.

"Did you do it?" he asked.

"No. Creed and Stryker and some purple-haired bitch showed up. They killed her fiancé though, and knocked me out. When I woke up, we decided to go looking for Stryker." I gave him the for real abridged version.

"So she's what, torn up over her fiancé? Looking for revenge?"

"More or less," I shrugged. "Why are you so interested in her? Don't get enough ladies in the French Quarter?"

"Oh, the ladies love Lebeau," Remy smirked. "But petite is very pretty, non? I'm wondering why you haven't snapped her up. Seemed to me like you were pretty heavy into the ladies a few years back." he cocked a brow.

"Who says I haven't?" he laughed.

"I do." he challenged.

"I've had bigger things to worry about then women. You try waking up out of a comatose state with no memory."

"Good point," Gambit admitted. He stretched out, "so where do you think this Logan is?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be standing here with you."

"Why you gotta hurt Remy like that?" Gambit pouted.

"As long as you refer to yourself in third person, get used to it, Cajun." I was going to continue insulting him when I got that familiar sort of tickle that had been happening since Kioni and I touched a few days before. "We have to go," I said to Remy.

"Wha--" I couldn't hear the rest of what he said because I was running down the street toward the sandwich shop as fast as I could. Which is a lot damn faster than Gambit could run. Kioni was sending out an urgent signal. I slowed down when I was within half a block of her. I could hear Gambit powering up the street behind me. "Wilson, what the he--"

"Shhh!" I told him without looking, still assessing the situation. As weird as it was, I could smell something, or someone rather. Damn, we lucked out. "He's in there," I told Lebeau.

"Who, Logan?" he looked shocked, but put his game face on. "So what's the plan, boss?"

"Let's go in and talk to him." I suggested. He gave me a wide eyed look but nodded.

"Alright," we walked up the street and pushed in the door. A little bell hanging on top announced our presence. I could see Kioni immediately, waiting in line for a sandwich. In the back of the store was what we came for. Logan, or James Howlett, was sitting at a booth in the corner, tearing into a steak sub. He looked relaxed, but I could tell that he was alert. His dark mane of hair was swept into two wolf peaks on top of his head. Every muscle under his black leather jacket was tense and his nostrils flared when we walked in. He turned slowly, cobalt gray eyes locking on us. The pupils dilated in anger.

"Ah crap," I muttered under my breath.

"Not good," Gambit agreed. Logan stood up and moved swiftly toward us. I contemplated the quickest way to take him down without destroying the building and came up blank. He was coming at us with a predators grace. I shifted my weight and braced myself. As long as the claws didn't come out, I could take him.

Before he got to us, Kioni intercepted him. Two meatball subs, one roast beef sandwich and something that smelled like turkey hit Logan dead in the chest. Kioni looked up wide-eyed at him.

"I am so sorry!" she stammered. She seized a handful of napkins and began to wipe off layers of mozzarella. Logan growled, but halted. Kioni gave me a look that clearly said 'GO!' Gambit and I didn't hesitate, but beat it outside.

"That was close," Gambit breathed.

"It's going to get closer," I told him and hurried up the road. Remy followed.

We had a 30 second gap before Logan burst out of the store, jacket-less, after us. Kioni followed hurriedly after him. She gave us a worried look, but climbed into the car and put the key in the ignition. I could sense her plan to run Logan over if she needed to. I didn't think it would come to that. My katanas were in the car though. I'd need to get them if Logan was itching for a fight.

"I know your scent," Logan growled at me. His lips were pulled back like a wolf, exposing sharp canines. His eyes had gone from gray to black and he looked like a man who wouldn't hesitate to gut me right in the middle of the street.

"What's up, Jimmy?" I asked him nonchalantly. His hackles went up. He and Creed shared that creepy family trait.

"What'd you call me?" his fists curled.

"Jimmy." I repeated, "But I hear you go by Logan now." I started moving backward into the woods, drawing him away from the street. He followed slowly.

"Look, Logan..." Gambit started. Logan's eyes flickered to him for the first time.

"You again?" he sounded irritated.

"Beat it, Cajun." I told Remy.

"But--"

"Go!" Logan and I both snarled him. Gambit gave a short nod and took off.

"I thought I cut your damned head off," Logan glared.

"So you do remember me!" I put on a delighted air. "Funny thing about that is, I didn't die. I woke up in Africa with no memories though. How'd that happen? Your guess is as good as mine," I told him. We were hidden from street view by a clump of large trees now.

"I'll have to do a better job this time," he growled. His claws exploded with a sound like, snikt!

"Do you even know why you want to kill me?" I asked him, unconcerned.

"I've only got a few memories left, bub. And one of them is of you stabbing me. Seems like a good enough reason."

"Good point. I don't really remember doing that though. So it seems to me like we're in the same boat. But if you want to fight…" I sighed and pulled my jacket off. "Bring it."

With an inhuman roar, Logan leapt forward, all six admantium claws pointed at me. I flipped out of the way and roundhouse kicked him in the back. He turned and recovered quickly, then came at me again. He was stronger, but I was much faster. He chased me around the small clearing and I dodged and evaded his every move. His anger was increasing every time he missed me, but I figured I'd let him run out his steam.

"You done?" I asked him as I vaulted over his head to avoid getting stabbed through the jugular.

"Stopping running and fight me!" he challenged.

"Put your claws away and I will!" With a snakt! the claws retreated into his forearms. I balled a fist and threw it, striking him hard in the cheek. His neck whipped around with a sound of snapping metal and my knuckles ripped open. Hmmm. This seemed to be easier when we were on equal playing ground. The metal that was in my body was mysteriously gone now, which was not good. Have you ever punched a metal wall? Punching this guy anywhere was going to be just like that. I was going to have to fight dirty.

Logan swung for my face. I barely was able to block him with my forearm. He hit me there instead, nearly shattering the bone. I was certain I had some hairline fractures. Damn it. I suckered punched him in the stomach, then when he bent over, elbowed him in the back and kicked him to the ground. He recovered and was up with cat-like grace, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. I remembered something then, a rage I had once seen him go into. His mind had shut down, his feral instincts had taken over, and he had laid waste to an entire battalion running on adrenaline and animal instincts.

Oh crap. He roared again, but this time it was dulled by the sounds of a glowing red log flying at top speed toward him. It exploded against his face when he turned to look at it. He fell to the ground in a shower of charged splinters, and Gambit became visible behind him. He tossed me my katanas. I caught them, twirled and swung downward. They slid easily into the moist forest floor, effectively trapping Logan's head and neck between the V of my blades. At the same time I heard the snikt! noise and felt searing pain rip through my stomach.

Six blades went straight up into my abdomen and out on either side, ripping through me and sticking out of my clothes in the back. I tottered forward dangerously, the world spinning. I felt the claws retract and my warm blood spill forward. Oh God, it hurt. I was vaguely aware of Remy yelling something and a female voice, Kioni's, screaming my name. The world swam and I fell to my knees, pushing the katanas down further. I felt hands on my shoulder and I fell backward into them.

My body felt like someone had poured molten lava into it. In a flash, a series of painful memories rushed back in: the operation, someone actually pouring metal into me, my mouth sewn shut, my head getting chopped off, blades cutting through my arms, the feeling of someone in my head controlling me. I felt my resistance, then the swooping sensation of a memory wiped clean. I saw in stunning clarity what had been done to me, the stolen mutants' powers they had pumped me full of. I saw myself waking up, confused and with a brand new body, and then broad hands in desperate need of a manicure sweeping down and cutting off my windpipe. I heard Stryker's voice, then more darkness, and finally, opening my eyes to see the ugly green tent in Africa.

Raw, searing anger pumped through my veins, filling me with adrenaline. The world I was currently in sharpened back into view as my borrowed healing factor, the only stolen power I still had, went into overdrive. My muscles stretched and contorted, stemming the bleeding and closing up the 6 puncture wounds. My skin sealed up over them. I was sore and dizzy from blood loss, but I was alive. Kioni was holding me, tears spilling down her face. Logan was trying to get out of the trap, but Gambit had stopped him with a barrage of charged objects to his hands. I looked up at Kioni.

"Shit, that hurt," I choked out. She looked shocked. Remy too looked up sharply, mouth open.

"Merde, that's some healing factor you've got." he said in awe. I nodded and sat up, pulling myself out of Kioni's lap. Her legs and torso were covered in my blood, as was the ground around me. Logan was giving me an enraged look from between my swords. He was bleeding too, from the blades scraping his neck at the Adam's apple.

"Wade," Kioni stuttered in Swahili, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine, doll. Just a little sore. Thanks for catching me." I gave her a kiss on the cheek and stood up to look down at Logan. "Now that I've got your attention, let's talk." I stepped toward him. "I know you lost your memory. I've lost mine too," his eyes widened. "But one thing I do remember, vividly, is being experimented on by a certain William Stryker," Logan let loose a growl. "Sound familiar?"

"Stryker," he repeated angrily.

"I'm going to kill him, and his house pet, Creed. Now I thought I'd come down here and offer to let you help, as a peace offering for nearly killing you a while back. I'm feeling a lot less charitable now that you've stabbed me though. So I'm going to say this just once and I suggest you listen. If you want in, speak up now. I lost everything to Stryker, my mind, control of my body and actions and my memory. And I'm going to take them all back from him, one piece at a time. Gambit here had offered to help," Remy waved nervously, "And this beautiful lady over here has a bone to pick too." Kioni stood stunned behind me. "Now, do you want to be part of the team, or am I going to have to return the favor and cut your damn head off?"

There was a moment of heavy silence, punctuated only by Logan's breathing. His pupils began to shrink, his irises returning to their normal cold gray.

"I'm in," he huffed.

"Welcome to the team," I pulled my blades out of the ground and extended my hand. He took it.

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A/N: So, Remy speaks a little French, obviously. Some are swear words. The basic words, like petite and chere are all terms of endearment. So is mon mignon. It means "my cutie." I'll try and use more phrases as the story continues. Bare with me; I speak Spanish, not French. And Happy Thanksgiving! As a present you get two chapters in one day! Hurray! I hope you liked the fight scene; I thought the story could use some action. Let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

The rain started falling down harder as I helped Logan up off of the ground. His hair matted to his face, blending in with his mutton chops. It rinsed the mud off of my katanas and the blood off of my shirt. Rain is great for clean up. My skin prickled as a wind swept through. Gambit cursed in French at the change in weather and began to high tail it back to the car. Kioni still stood stock still, giving me a very serious look. Logan seemed to notice her for the first time.

"Oh, hey," he started gruffly. Kioni turned hard eyes to him. "I'm Logan," he held out his hand.

"I know," she said coolly, looking as though she'd rather spit in his face then take his hand.

"Kioni, Logan, Logan, Kioni," I gestured between the two of them. She nodded curtly and focused her energy on pulling her thick curls back into order. "Be nice," I told her. She opened her mouth in obvious anger, snapped it shut in frustration, bit her lip with emotion and then finally found words.

"Nice to meet you," she said in the voice she reserved for diplomatic meetings. "I'm going to go join Remy in the car." she shook off her blood soaked jacket and turned on her heel.

"She doesn't like me," Logan observed.

"Nah, she really doesn't," I confirmed. There was more than that though. I'm a pretty sharp guy and a good people reader. And right now she was sending out some weird signals. Her dislike for Logan was just the surface. She was projecting some conflicting emotions.

"Sorry about stabbing you," Logan wiped the blood off of his neck.

"We're about even now. Except for the head chopping off thing," my shirt was tattered at my stomach. I pulled it off and used it to wipe the blood off of my body.

"Well, you stole my powers." Logan picked up my now soaked through jacket and handed it to me. I shrugged into it. It felt grainy and disgusting against my skin. I needed a scalding hot shower after this.

"We'll call it even then," I acquiesced. The rain was starting to turn into sleet, the beginnings of snow.

"Fair enough." Logan nodded curtly. We followed Remy and Kioni down the slide of the slippery hill and toward the street. The two of them were standing just inside of the outcropping of trees. Remy had a rag, retrieved from the car, and he was attempting to wipe the blood off of Kioni's hands and face. Crimson stained her jeans and clothing. She looked calm and objective, but she was wiping with a ferocity that suggested she was having an inner freak out. Remy was murmuring something to her in French. She was nodding. I strained my ears, but couldn't hear over the howling of the weather.

Kioni finally gave up on cleaning herself. She handed the rag back to Gambit. He took it and pulled her in for a quick hug. Kioni gave him a pat on the back, then pulled back. She looked up at us.

"Where next?" without her jacket she had to be freezing, but she kept her shivering to a minimum.

"I wouldn't mind getting' cleaned up," Gambit threw his two-cents in.

"I've got a place a few miles from here. It's nothin' fancy. But you can at least shower." Logan offered.

We followed Logan, on his motorcycle, to his apartment. Kioni slid into the backseat next to Remy without comment. I let her. If she was going to give me the cold shoulder, that suited me. At least for now. It was only a matter of time before she spoke up again anyway. She liked me too much to ignore me completely.

But she was quiet the entire car ride. She was quiet as Logan offered her the first shower and she was silent as she nodded her acceptance. Remy, Logan and I piled around a shabby card table serving as the focal point of Logan's apartment. His decor consisted mainly of cardboard boxes and beer cans. Logan snagged a six pack off of the ground and handed us each a can.

"So, fill me in on the plan." Logan instructed. Remy and him gave me their full attention as I described what had happened to me since Africa. Logan listened quietly while Remy questioned me a mile a minute. I left out the part about Logan and Creed's familial situation. Only I knew that, and only I needed to know that. Family complicates things, especially when they want to kill you. Logan only asked on question the entire time.

"Where does the broad fit in?" he asked just as the shower shut off.

"Good question" Remy complimented him. Logan didn't respond. He just took a sip of his second beer and the two looked at me expectantly.

"She came partly because she wants revenge, but mostly because she wants to find help for her dad." I had already explained about his cancer.

"Well, that's nice of her," Remy remarked. Logan just crushed his now empty can and nodded.

"She knows that's got a snowball's chance in hell of happening, right?" he asked calmly.

"Yeah. She's stubborn though." I shrugged. I could hear Kioni moving around in the bedroom, getting dressed.

"As long as she knows. And she doesn't get in the way." Logan was serious. "Revenge ain't for people with a weak stomach."

"She can handle herself," Remy stuck up for her. I just nodded.

"Seemed like the blood today shook her up. I could smell it on her." Two light bulbs in my head went off simultaneously. One, that could be why she was so quiet. Two, and more pressing at the moment, Creed had Logan's same senses. He could smell like the animal he was. And we had just bled all over the damn forest a few miles from here. It was a long shot that he'd be looking for us, but if he was, we would lead him straight here.

"She'll be fine," I assured him. "There's a bigger issue. Stryker keeps a house pet named Creed. The guy's got powers like yours Logan." a bushy black eyebrow went up. "He knows me. He knows you. And we just bled all over the damn forest. Tracking's like a game to this guy."

"We could use it to our advantage, no?" Gambit asked, his crimson eyes deep in thought. "I mean, why find him if he finds us?"

"Gumbo's got a point," Remy chuckled at his new nickname. "We could lead him somewhere, make him fight on our terms." Logan cracked open his third beer. Looked like he wanted to give his healing factor a workout.

"That's a good plan," I admitted. I couldn't think of anything better.

"Where should we lure him?" Remy asked.

"Canada," I said. "Creed is from Canada. He probably lives up there in his down time. And it's sort of near the Island." Remy shuddered a little bit and Logan's mouth twitched. "It's a good bet that Creed, and possibly Stryker, live up north."

"We should start at the Island, work our way up," Logan let out a burp.

"Sounds like a plan. We'll leave signs of us being there, signs Creed will notice. Everyone ok with that?"

"Remy is fine with it. And chere will probably not argue," Remy shrugged.

Oh yeah, Kioni. "I'm going to check on her." The other two men nodded.

I got up from the table and walked down the short hall and into the bedroom. Kioni was sitting on Logan's bed, her legs crossed under her, eyes closed. She was wearing a dark blue plaid shirt rolled up at the elbow.

"You alright?" I asked her in Swahili.

She opened her eyes and looked up at me. "I'm fine," her tone was clipped.

"Are you sure?" I asked her, unconvinced.

"Yes. I was just letting Akina know that I am alright." she sighed and unfolded her legs.

"Right, with your mind thing," I sat down next to her. She leaned away slightly. "How is everyone back home?"

"They are as good as expected. All of the neighboring towns are aware of Stryker. They have formed a temporary alliance to defend themselves."

"That's good," I remarked. The silence that stretched between us was like a brick wall. I explained the plan to her. She simply nodded her agreement. "So, what do you think of Logan?" I fished.

"He's a very conflicted man. He has inherently good intentions, but the loss of his memory, and of something else he isn't aware of, have effected him to his core. He feels that peace can only come through vengeance. He will be focused on this trip. And distant," she said tonelessly.

"So, overall, you would say you like him?" she was wearing his shirt. She could have borrowed mine, but she didn't. That spoke volumes.

"I don't really know him. It's hard to form an opinion of him outside of what I sense." she looked over at me staring expectantly at her, sighed, and threw me a bone. "I don't think he will find what he is looking for on the trip," she continued.

"Oh yeah? Do you think he will ever find it?" I was digging now, I'll admit it. There had never been a time where she hadn't responded positively to me. This silence was starting to work my nerves.

"One day. But not through violence." she trailed off again.

"Look, Kioni," she refused to meet my eye, "I know it may have scared you or whatever, when I got stabbed, but I'm fine." she still refused to look at me. "Seriously, look." I pulled my shirt up a little to expose where I was stabbed. There were still faint purple bruises, but otherwise it was fine. "So stop worrying."

"I know you're fine." she hopped off the bed. "I'm just tired. You know, with the time difference and all." she looked away again. "I'll sleep in the car. You guys should get ready so we can go. Where are we going?" her tone suddenly switched to bright.

I gave her a quizzical look. Women were so weird sometimes. I let it slide in the interest of time. She was going to be trapped in a car with me for hours. We'd talk then. "We're going to Pennsylvania. To an old base. Then we'll go from there."

"Ok," she said in English. With a fake as three-dollar-bill smile she left the room. I stood to followed her out.

"My shirt looks good on you," I heard Logan compliment her in his trademark growl.

"Thank you," she flashed him a genuine smile and I felt something almost like jealously flow through me. She didn't even know him. I quickly pulled myself together.

"I'm sorry I stabbed your boyfriend earlier. Last time we met, we didn't end on the best terms. I thought he might be tryin' to kill me again."

"He's not my boyfriend." she said entirely too quickly for my liking, "Besides, he healed. So I suppose there is no lasting harm done," Kioni accepted his apology. "I don't understand what happened to you in the past, but I am grateful that you will help us with this."

"It's no problem, darling. Wilson and I are in the same boat. It'd be stupid not to work together," his tone had softened. I guess Remy was right about the effect women had on the Wolverine. Clearly I was going to have to come up with a pet name for Kioni, now that the other two had taken to it.

"Well, thank you all the same," Kioni said graciously, "for the help and the clothes."

"Not a problem, darling. Keep them." I turned the corner and nearly had a heart attack. Logan, who never smiled, was tipping his cowboy hat and giving Kioni a full on grin. What was with her and dangerous men? She smiled back at him. Sick of listening to their interaction, I walked into the room.

"The Cajun, already called shower next. I figure we can grab something to eat then get on the road. The quicker we get this over with, the better," Logan resumed his stoic disposition.

"Alright, give me a second to clean up." he stomped off to the bathroom where Gambit was emerging, wrapped in a towel.

"Cripes," he grimaced, "go put some clothes on Gumbo." Gambit smiled mischievously, winked at Kioni, (who laughed) and bounded off to the grab some clothing.

"You're going to be freezing in just that," I told Kioni. "It's starting to snow outside. You can borrow one of my jackets."

"What are you going to use?"

"I run hotter than you. I'll be ok." I handed her a bulky army coat. She put it on with a thanks. I sighed a little in relief that she was wearing something of mine. I didn't like her in other guy's clothes.

An hour later, Logan agreed to leave his bike at home and ride with us for the sake of solidarity. He was driving, since he had the best handle on where Three-Mile-Island was. Remy was riding shotgun, navigating and cracking jokes and I had sat in the back with Kioni. She was silent except for when she laughed at something Gambit said. She kept a safe distance from me for a few hours, until the sky turned an inky black and daylight faded. Snow was coming down in sheets by the time we got into Maryland. Even with our heightened reflexes, it wouldn't be safe to drive in the dark. Logan pulled over at a ma and pop type hotel. We piled out of the car and trudged up to meet the owners.

"One of us ought to pretend we're with the girl," Logan growled as we swung our respective bags onto our backs. "These are bound to be old fashioned people. They'll ask less questions this way."

"I'll fall on that grenade," Remy spoke up eagerly. Kioni looked slightly alarmed.

"That's ok," she said quickly. "Wade, will you do it?"

The vindictive part of me wanted to tell her no and get back at her for giving me the cold shoulder. But I wasn't too eager to have to stay in a room with a Cajun who would talk my ear off or someone who might potentially try and murder me in my sleep.

"Sure," I agreed. Logan shrugged and shuffled ahead into the lobby. Gambit glared.

"You're going to leave me in there with him?" he hissed to me. "You had better get some, or Remy's going to be pissed," he glared and stormed off after Logan. We made small talk with the older couple who owned the motel. Remy and I worked on charming them while Kioni smiled prettily and Logan focused on not looking like an axe murderer. We got our keys to our adjoining rooms on the first floor and took off. It was a pretty charming little bed and breakfast. The rooms were rustic and made of wood, with one large queen sized bed in our room and two twins in the other room. Kioni eyed the bed wearily but didn't say anything. She dropped her bag, unzipped my jacket and flopped down on the mattress, exhausted. I sat my bag down and looked hard at her. She looked over at me. Time to nip her little funk in the bud.

"Look, I brought you all the way out here," I leveled with her. "the least you can do is talk to me." to her credit, she looked ashamed. She sat up and patted the space next to her on the bed. I lowered myself down.

"I'm sorry," she began in Swahili. She seemed to be searching for words to say something. "Remember what happened when we touched in the first hotel?"

"Yeah. It was electric, if I recall correctly." I punned. She gave me a small smile.

"What actually happened, was I lost control of my powers. It hasn't happened in many years."

"So what's that mean?" she sighed.

"It means that I accidentally created a bond between us."

"I figured that. I can sort of feel a tickle sometimes--"

"It's more than that," she interrupted me. "I've been trying to control the bond. But earlier today, when Logan stabbed you," she sounded upset, " I felt everything you felt in that moment. All of the pain, all of the memories. You were projecting so much. And it was so overwhelming." she looked up at me.

"Damn," I rubbed the back of my neck, "I'm sorry you had to go through that." I was sorry _I _had to go through that. It wasn't a fun life experience.

"It's not just that." she continued, "I've only ever had that connection with a few other people. One is Akina, another is my father and the third was my mother." I sensed finally where this might be going. "The connection unites me with that person. Our feelings and desires blend and mesh until sometimes my mood could effect theirs' and vice versa."

"I still don't see what the issue is. I'm not that bad am I?" I joked. She studied her hands.

"It's not sharing the connection with you that is bad. It is what happens when it is severed. Like with my mother." Kioni's eyes got shiny.

"Who said I'm going to sever it?" I asked her.

"Wade, be honest. You aren't the type who sticks around. One way or another, we are going to end up in different places. Which is why I need to distance myself from you. After today, I know that I care too much for you already. I cannot afford to suffer that again." Ah, so she had commitment problems. And she thought I did too.

I thought about my reaction for a second. Kioni obviously had strong opinions about this. Combine that with the emotional nature of a woman and this was a recipe for disaster. I needed her on my side if we were going to be able to do this. "You're thinking about this the wrong way." I told her. "A connection works to our advantage. Like earlier today, I knew where you were. It works in a fight. It works when we meet someone knew. It helps us plan. You should just roll with it." there was also another advantage to it, one I intended on showing her.

"But, Wade--" I cut her off with a kiss.

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A/N: I know it was a cliff hanger kind of ending. But I looked up at the word count and realized I needed to split it into two chapters. The next one is coming soon. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday! Why don't you go ahead and hit that review button and tell me what you think of the story. I'd especially love to hear from the people who haven't reviewed before. I accept anonymous reviews. So let me know!


	10. Chapter 10

It was a real kiss this time. I pulled her into me, wrapping her in my arms so she couldn't pull back. Her body went tight as a bow at first, but then she relaxed. From the first touch, I could feel the connection sharpening. Her desires merged with mine. I could feel her struggle, trying to think logically. I kissed her harder and in an instance she gave in.

Holy crap, this was unbelievable. The connection had gone beyond desires; I could not only feel what she wanted, _everything_ she wanted, but her thought process, the way she problem solved, the way she felt about things that had happened today, yesterday, years ago, right now. Intrigued, I deepened the kiss. She sighed a tiny bit into my mouth. Her hands were trapped between our chests. One flexed, clutching my shirt like she was fighting between pulling closer and pushing away.

It was a fantastic kiss. I knew what she wanted without having to ask, and she had the same knowledge of me. I understood where she was coming from, exactly what it felt like when her mother walked out, taking her father's heart with her, what it felt like when she discovered he had cancer, the determination to save him, how she felt about her family, her town, Gary, and me. The emotional transference was stunning.

The need for oxygen made me pull back. Kioni's wide brown eyes were half lidded, her chest heaving. She was trying to regain control. She regulated her breathing, her hand over her heart. She looked at me like she was regarding me in a whole other light. It occurred to me that she had experienced what I had.

"Oh my gosh," she breathed.

"Yeah," I chuckled. "You have a lot of feelings."

"Me?!" she asked incredulously. "You're the most complicated person I've ever met! Your emotions make no sense; there aren't memories to go with them. It's like a puzzle where the border pieces are all missing. I don't even know where to start!"

"I'm a good kisser though." I pointed out. "And you like me…" I taunted. She furrowed her brow.

"Of course I like you!" she exclaimed, "I thought you already knew that. Which is why it was wrong for you to kiss me!" she folded her arms under her breasts, looking for all the world like a pouting child.

I smirked at her. "Maybe I like you too. Maybe I was trying to prove to you that you should stop analyzing things and for once in your life go with it." I leaned in, she tried to scoot back but I stopped her with a hand to her leg. "You know you want to…" I drawled.

"Wade…" she looked uncertain.

"Face it. Of all the men you've been exposed to, Mhina, Lebeau, Logan… I'm the one who gets under your skin."

She rolled her eyes, "You don't need to be a scholar to figure that out."

"Go with it," I urged her, my hand crawling higher up her thigh.

"If I go with it, what's going to happen when all this is over?" she asked the question in a breathy whisper.

"I don't know," I raised my shoulders slightly, "I don't know my past, I have no idea what the future holds. But right now, I know you're going to kiss me." I was inches from her face now.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged.

"Yeah," I closed the space between us. She didn't resist this time but buried one hand in my hair and the other tugged at my shirt. That was more like it. I pushed her back gently into the mattress and lowered myself on top of her. The sensations started again, this time without her mental walls up. I let my hands wander from her legs to her waist, right to the swell of her breasts then back down. The girl couldn't stay still. She wiggled, her legs moving up and down the backs of mine and her hands crawling over my neck, chest and back a mile a minute. Ha. I knew she wanted me. And if I was honest myself (which, honestly, is a rare thing) I wanted her a little bit too. Alright, a lot a bit. So what?

A knock on the adjoining door to the next room brought her crashing back to reality. Kioni pulled back sharply, pushed her hands against my chest and knocked me off of her. I fell back dizzily, still recovering from the effects of her kisses. Unfortunately, my healing factor doesn't account for chronic horniness. She stood up and tried to compose herself.

"You're fighting a losing battle," I told her from my spot on the bed. Her hair was mussed, her clothes were wrinkled. It couldn't have been clearer that she'd just been making out with me. She gave me a slightly annoyed look but her cheeks flushed. The knock came again, louder. "Answer it," I told her. She shook her clothes out one last time and pulled the door open.

Remy and Logan were standing there with bags of take out. They took one look at us and Remy burst out into hysterical laughter.

"It's 'bout time, petite!" he patted Kioni on the top of the head. Her face colored again. Logan just rolled his eyes, took the cigar out of his mouth and told Remy to shut up. I stood up and made no attempt to fix my clothes or my messy hair.

"What'd you get?" The stock Canadian started pulling out wrapped cheeseburgers and cartons of fries.

"Just burgers," he responded. He unwrapped one for himself, flopped down in a chair and flipped on the TV. Remy shot me a knowing look, seized a burger for himself and joined Logan. I took one, tossed another to Kioni and went to sit on the bed. She stood apprehensively for a moment. I patted the spot next to me. She must have resigned herself to the fact that they all knew anyway because she crossed the room, flopped down next to me and asked me to hand her some fries.

We watched two reruns of _Three's Company _and half of an episode of _Charlie's Angels_(at Lebeau's insistence) before the food was gone and Logan moved to get up. He belched and told us he was going to go out and have a smoke. Remy said he'd join them. Kioni gathered up the trash and Remy took it from her.

"Tomorrow we'll leave early to get to the Island," Logan announced. Then his grouchy look faltered for a moment. One corner of his lips pulled up and he looked directly at Kioni. "So don't wear him out too bad, darling. He needs to be able to fight in the morning." Gambit howled with laughter, Kioni looked mortified and Logan gave me a little punch in the shoulder. I'd forgotten about his secret sense of humor. Nice of him to tie a burn and sexual innuendo into one. I'd bet if he just stopped brooding for a minute and got laid himself, he'd be an alright guy. He and Remy wished us a good night, then stepped outside. The minute the door shut, Kioni hit me hard in the arm.

"What?" I laughed at her annoyance.

"I--" she faltered as a comeback escaped her. "I hate you!" she announced and stomped off to the bathroom. I followed her.

"No you don't." I whispered in her ear from behind. "I know how you feel now, remember?" she turned around, her back braced against the sink counter.

"I know how you feel too," she grabbed a handful of my shirt and dragged me closer. "Even if you don't." I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant but she cut me off with a kiss that you could only see on late-night cable of soft-core porn. She wrapped her legs around my waist and squeezed, pulling herself up and onto the counter behind her. I was starting to get into it when she pulled away, hopped down and left the bathroom.

She left me a little disoriented, I'm no going to lie. It's wrong to do that to a man. We can only think with one head at a time. It takes a while to switch back and forth. I turned around. "What do you mean, 'how I feel too'?" I asked her.

She was in the main room, getting ready for bed. She just gave me a knowing look. "I mean just that. Don't think I don't know how you felt about Mhina, or about me wearing this shirt today, or how Logan and Remy treat me," she stood up straight and looked me dead in the eyes.

"Really?" I put on my asshole voice. "You've got a high opinion of yourself."

She remained unfazed. "Alright. So you won't mind if I sleep in Logan's shirt tonight. And ask Remy for one tomorrow." My fist clenched a little. "You know," she remarked as she started to shimmy out of her jeans. "I think I will keep this shirt. It's comfortable," she got one leg out and went to work on the other, "And it smells good. Manly." the other leg slipped out. She folded them neatly, bent over right in front of me and put them into her bag. When she stood up she pulled her hair down, letting it fall in massive waves to her back. That girl had a lot of hair. I was momentarily distracted from my anger by the motion. "It must smell that way because of Logan." she hammered the point home. With a coy smile, she bounded over to me and kissed me on the cheek. "Well, goodnight!" she exclaimed brightly. She climbed into the bed and under the covers.

I stood there for a moment, swallowing my anger. Oh hell no. Wade Wilson always gets the last word. Ah damn, now she proved her point and has me talking like that idiot Cajun. Alright, so maybe she had a point. Maybe I didn't like it when she wore other men's clothes. Or when they hit on her, or touched her, or talked to her, or looked at her….

Well damn. When did I get legitimate feelings for Kioni? And how the hell did she notice it before I did. Hell, I bet all you readers out there knew it before I did. Why didn't any of you warn me? Damn you all.

I decided to get even. I pulled off my clothes indifferently, all the way down to the boxers. I climbed in bed next to her, aware of the way her breathing hitched slightly. "If I admit you're right, will you take the shirt off?" I asked her. "It _does_ smell like Logan. I can't sleep when my subconscious thinks he's in the bed with me. I don't bat for both teams."

"Maybe," she mused. "will you let me have one of yours?"

"No." she rolled over to look at me. I smiled at her. "I'd rather you sleep without one. But you can have one of mine tomorrow." she tried to look mad, but failed, succumbing to giggles.

"Wade, you're ridiculous," she scolded.

"And you like me for it." I chided.

"And you like me," she said pointedly.

"Maybe a little." I admitted.

"More than a little," she insisted. "Enough to let me tag along and to promise to protect me when everything in your past suggests that you don't care about people besides yourself. Let alone women."

"If I admit how much I like you, what are you going to give me?" I bargained.

"Well, I might consider taking this shirt off…"

"And?"

"I wouldn't mind kissing you again," she rolled closer.

"Yeah?" I felt my control slipping.

"I might even let you take the shirt off…" she teased. In the next instance I tackled her, _tore _the shirt off and kissed her hard.

"Wade!" she exclaimed loudly as buttons and seams burst around her. There was a loud knock on the wall.

"Seriously, I don't wanna' hear you two all night. Keep it down!" Logan growled through the dry wall. Remy voiced his agreement. I laughed.

"We have to be quiet," I whispered to her. I lowered my head and kissed her slower as I pulled the remains of the flannel off of her arms. I sensed her desire for me spike.

"Wade…" she started to whisper.

"Shhh…" I warned her. My hand went to work on the clasp of her bra.

"I've never done this before." she tried again.

"Don't think. Go with it." I reminded her. "Besides, there's a first time for everything." she laughed nervously.

"I don't know what to do." she sounded worried. I kissed her again, reestablishing the bond. Her stomach stopped shaking, she stopped trembling and relaxed into me. She moved tentatively, her confidence growing as she realized she didn't need to know what to do. She felt my pleasure and I felt hers.

At this point, in the interest of keeping this story rated T (why T, and not Pg-13?), I'm going to stop narrating. Let's just say it was fantastic. Fan-friggin'-tastic. That was until I came upon a little road block. It's hard to ignore that nagging little ethical voice in the back of your mind when you can feel the person you're hooking up with freaking out. The shirt was off, hands were everywhere, and she was making these little noises that can get a man riled up. Then the unthinkable happened. The noble part of me (I didn't know it was still there) felt her uncertainty, started thinking it was wrong to take advantage of her and then stopped. That's right, I stopped. She apologized, I told her not to worry, then spent the night cuddling. Me, cuddling. And not the kind you do after you've just screwed someone and she curls up in your arms and you figure once she falls asleep you'll dip out. No, I was a willing participant. And I slept better than I've slept in memory and possibly in my entire life, all without sex. And I mean, can you imagine how good it would have been if making out was that great? Jeez…

Whoops, lost my train of thought. Where was I? Oh right, we were there to get revenge, not to have mind-blowing sex. So we were right on track. Continuing on…

The next day, we did get to Three Mile Island. And we found exactly what we were looking for.　

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A/N: I am going to be wrapping up the story soon. I noticed the word count was way beyond what I expected. Plus, finals are starting. Which means it's time for school. So let me know about my writing and as always, thanks for reading and reviewing!


	11. Chapter 11

The Island hadn't changed much in a year. It was blanketed in snow now and the wreckage from the cylinder we destroyed had been cleaned up. Remy explained that the government covered it all up by calling it a nuclear accident. They made up some story about pressurized water molecules exploding, or something like that, and destroying the cylinder, therefore releasing nuclear waste into the air. Naturally, the population freaked out. After the "clean up" no one went near the Island.

So it was a piece of cake to drive our car across the narrow bridge early that morning and park behind one of the remaining buildings. Before we went looking, I tied my katanas to my back. Gambit tucked two packs of cards into his pocket and grabbed a his metal ass whipping stick (sounds gross, I know, but really, it's just a pole made of metal. Nothing dirty, I swear). Logan was flexing his knuckles and sniffing the air almost obsessively. I went to the trunk of the car, rooted around and came up with what I needed.

"Take these," I handed Kioni a revolver and a straight blade. "In case we get separated." she took them without question.

"Thanks," she muttered. I dropped some extra ammo in her pocket.

"You know how to use it?" I asked.

"Yes. I think so." she sounded nervous.

"If you have to use it, aim to kill. Shoot for anywhere in the face. And if you can't hit there, try for the balls." Kioni smiled slightly.

"I will. I promise." I gave her a nod. I tucked the knife into the pocket of the shirt she had borrowed from me.

"Stay close." I instructed. She gripped the gun tighter. I could feel her nervousness, but outwardly, she looked composed. It would have to do. "We should split up." I told the others. "We'll cover more ground. We can meet back here in a half hour. If one of us get's into trouble, you'd better find some way to make the rest of us notice it."

Gambit smiled wryly. "Will do, boss."

"Stay alert," Logan added, his eyes scanning our surroundings a mile a minute. He really did look like an animal in that moment.

"Kioni will be with me," I said.

"We kind of figured that," Gambit said with a chuckle. I shot him an amused look.

"See you in a half hour," Logan growled. He took off, running across the Island, heading east. Gambit nodded, waved and took off west. That left north, my favorite direction.

"Let's go," I told Kioni. I gripped the handle of one of my swords. She swallowed thickly. I bent down and kissed her briefly on the lips. "Keep it together, babe. Get your game face on." Her expression hardened, she squared her shoulders and adjusted her grip on the gun.

"Ok. Lead the way." We wandered into the middle building. It was industrial, concrete on the outside, stainless steel comprised the interior. We walked through several halls, coming across wide open rooms. A room containing cages was by far the largest. I bent down to look at them, noticing that they were all cut open by three equally spaced incisions. So Logan had been here. Kioni regarded the cages, her expression unclear.

"Is this where they kept the mutants?" she asked quietly.

"Looks that way." Flashes of memory were starting to return, very slowly. Not liking the room we were in at all, I walked through a side door and down a hallway toward the only other door. I pushed open the heavy metal. It squealed on rusty hinges. I motioned for Kioni to wait, and then I walked in first.

It was a operating room. A series of metal tables lined the walls, groaning under medical equipment. Monitors stood idly along the side of a few medical beds. The middle of the room was most notable. A bed still made up with white sheets had equipment around it like it had recently been in use. I approached it slowly, Kioni trailing cautiously behind me. I got to the side and looked down. There were bloody utensils and bandages littered all around the gurney. I knew who the patient had been. Me.

I stood still, struggling with emotion. This is where they cut me up, took my memory. This is where they created Weapon XI, me. They turned me into a weapon, a commodity. They stole powers from people like me, mutants used as lab rats. They scarred me, unleashed me against a friend. I felt rage boil in my veins. I could have been anyone before, now I had no idea. It was then I made a decisions. I wasn't going to just take their lives, I was going to take everything they had taken from me.

I felt a hand gently caress my arm.

"Wade," Kioni said gently. She gripped my arm tighter, successfully pulling me out of my thoughts. I knew she could feel what I had just decided, but she chose not to address it.

"This is where they did it," I told her. She rubbed her hand down my arm.

"I know," she said simply.

"The messed up thing is I don't even know what they did." I continued to stare down at the table.

"Wade, there's more," Kioni tugged me gently. "Look," she pointed across the room to a row of file cabinets. In a blur, I was in front of them. I sifted through the drawers, through hundreds of manila folders, all of mutants marked by number, not name. Kids, adults, men, women, Stryker had spared no one, poking and prodding, trying to get his sick fix. Kioni helped me go through them all. After about ten minutes, I came across one labeled "weapons." I fished it out and let it fall open. Sure enough, it contained more tabbed files, this time labeled I-XI. I took them out one by one, noticing that up until X, Logan, all of the mutants had died from complications from the experiments. I was the last one.

I stared at the tab for a moment, Kioni breathing softly behind me. She looked up at me. "You don't have to open it, Wade. I know you feel like you do, but you can put it down and walk away."

"I have to know," I told her. I let the file fall open on the cement between us. A page on top contained a list of all of the procedures I had been under. It seemed like my mind had been wiped first, then I was given Logan's healing factor. Immediately afterward they added a mixed bag of powers, many from my old teammates. Then they pumped me full of an admantium alloy. Except my healing factor hadn't kicked in quite yet. There was a log of what happened.

06:00: Weapon XI had undergone the binding process. Metal has cooled. Experienced high blood pressure and seizure.

06:15: Healing factor did not take hold. Weapon XI has gone into cardiac arrest. Cannot administer defibrillator due to metal skeleton.

06:20: Healing factor inexplicably took hold. Went into overdrive.

06:24: Healing factor has gone into overdrive, cancer eliminated. Incisions are closing up too quickly. Forced to use heat to keep them open. Scar tissue has begun to form all over face and body.

06:40: Procedures completed. Needs time to heal properly. Healing factor should account for scarring

06:43: Threat posed by Weapon X has forced us to deploy Weapon XI early. Scars still evident. Powers should be fully functional. Process was overall a success.

I read the page with a blank face and handed it to Kioni without a word. I flipped over the next one. It was a consent form signed in my name for the full procedure. I studied it, determining that my handwriting now looked slightly different. It could have been forged. I went to the next page. It was a biography of me.

I was apparently 6'2" and 230 pounds before the metal, blood type O. I was born in the US but for an unlisted reason, enlisted in the Canadian Special Forces. I was the perfect soldier, with heightened speed and senses. I joined Stryker in 1979. I underwent the surgery in January 1985.

That was the last page in the file. Kioni read it over my shoulder. "So what happened to your powers?" she asked me. I tucked the papers back into the file.

"They disappeared after I died." I said simply. Kioni's mouth fell open.

"After you what?"

"Logan killed me. He was the one I was fighting. Stryker was controlling me."

"Well, maybe you didn't die," Kioni rationalized. "Maybe you felt like you died but--"

"He cut my head off. I remember it." I told her.

There was silence. "Oh." she said finally. "But you woke up?"

"Yeah. With a new body apparently." Kioni sat there for a moment.

"Well, that's kind of cool." I laughed. She successfully broke the tension. I put the file down on the floor.

"Let's go," I reached for her hands and pulled her up.

"Do you want to take the file?" she asked.

"Nah. Leave it." Kioni smiled at me.

"Ok," she stood up and let the original file in her lap fall to the ground. Logan's file fell open. A thought crossed my mind. I bent down to pick it up. It was something on his genes. Apparently, if you were to inject someone with his genes, you could cure them. He was blood type AB. His genes had somehow merged with mine because of Stryker. It had worked on my cancer, and I still retained his genetic capabilities. I was a universal donor. So one syringe of my blood could possibly cure her father. My mouth twisted into a lopsided grin. "What are you smiling about?" Kioni asked. I told her. Her jaw dropped and her eyes got shiny. "Really?" she asked.

"Really." I confirmed. I tucked the piece of paper into my back pocket. "So I'll just go back to Africa with you and give your dad some blood. Then, poof, he'll be fine." her relief hit me in waves.

"Thank you so much Wade. I owe you," she tackled me around the middle in an uncharacteristic show of affection.

"I can think of a few ways you can pay me back later," she gave me a quizzical look. "We'll start with 'A' and cover the other 25 letters later." Kioni looked perplexed, then seemed to remember our car ride. She shook her head, her shoulders convulsing with silent laughter.

"Only you could crack a joke in this place," she chastised. Her eyes searched my face admiringly.

"If I didn't learn to laugh at my life, I would have tried to off myself a while ago. Not that it would work. Apparently, I can't--" I stopped mid sentence. Someone had knocked something down somewhere in the building. I opened the door and listened carefully. The footsteps were too heavy for Logan, too loud for Gambit. It was someone else. I turned around. "Get your gun out," I told Kioni. She inhaled sharply, but pulled the gun back out and took the safety off. "Hide. Under the table," moving as quickly as she could, Kioni got under the gurney and covered herself with the white sheet. Hopefully the blood on the sheet would throw anyone, like Creed, off of her scent. I cautiously walked into the hall, katanas gripped tightly in each hand.

It wasn't easy to remain quiet in a cement and metal building, but I managed. I turned the corner and peaked around. No one. But I couldn't shake the sense that someone was here. Someone, I knew. I went down another hall and the sensation became stronger. It was Stryker. I could smell his aftershave and cheap cologne. I sped up. He was in the next room. I pushed through the doors.

Stryker wasn't there. But a tiny purple haired Asian in bondage spandex was. And she was wearing a shit faced grin.

"He said you would fall for it," she smiled at me. With a look of moderate concentration she projected a smell at me, Stryker's. With a wink, I heard footsteps that I now realized were only in my head. I wasn't in the mood for her little magic tricks. I palmed my swords, ready to get rid of this chick once in for all.

Then a piercing, heart-wrenching scream echoed down the halls, accompanied by a feeling of intense fear that didn't belong to me.

"Aw, you didn't leave your little African girlfriend alone did you?" Betsey Braddock taunted. "That's too bad. Victor's always had a thing for her. Maybe we could trade partners." she gave me a hungry look.

As two violet colored blades materialized out of nothing into her hands, I wondered how quickly I could kill this woman and get to Creed before he killed mine.

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A/N: We're coming up on the end. Thanks for reading! Just a few more to go.


	12. Chapter 12

"Where's Stryker?" I asked her. I needed to get the information I needed, then take her out.

Braddock laughed prettily. "In Washington DC. He abandoned us in Nigeria after out little scuffle." I gave her a puzzled look. "You see," she explained, "it seems like Victor finally found out the old geezer was using him. He didn't like it." she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I could have told him that. You could read it all over him. He treats mutants like possessions."

"Then why join Stryker in the first place?" I asked.

"He's well connected." she smiled slowly, "It has its uses. One little psychic swipe of the mind and wa-la! I know what he knows. Imagine what someone would pay for America's security secrets." so she was a gold-digging bitch. Typical.

"And you're back here because…"

"Because you're here." she said simply. "You don't think Stryker's the only one who see's your worth, do you? You're a precious commodity Wade Wilson."

"I don't think Creed will agree with you." I informed her.

"True," she agreed, pursing her lips. "I had to tell Victor we were coming here to finish what we started in Africa. Which isn't technically a lie. I get you. He get's the other girl. And once he's had his fill of her, it will be all too easy to bring him over to my way of thinking. Men are so simple," she simpered.

"It's never that easy," I told her, moving slowly around her.

"Now come on, Wade. I don't want to hurt you," Betsey and I were circling each other, blades drawn, looking for an opening. "It's be a shame to scar that pretty face," she crooned. "But I heard you heal. So there'll be no lasting damage." I smirked at her. "I wish I could say the same for your girlfriend. Victor's not as gentle a lover as me."

"You know this from personal experience?" I asked her, carefully plotting the quickest way to take her down. "I never knew Creed was into S&M. It makes sense though."

She glared for a moment. "Very cute, Wilson. I bet I could make you like it." She pushed her chest out. I nearly rolled my eyes.

"I wouldn't count on it." she was getting good and distracted trying to compete with my superior wit.

"I bet I could do you better than she can." No need to ask who she was. Something told me Betsey was still bitter about the ass whooping she got dealt in Africa.

"You think so?" I asked dispassionately.

"Want to give it a shot?" It was here that Braddock made a fatal error. She was focusing more on seducing me and less on the fact that I wouldn't hesitate to cut her open. She shifted her stance, leaning all her of her weight on one leg, her hip out. There was my opening. I sped forward, shoulders squared, and sent that bitch soaring across the room in an arc of purple hair and leather. She hit the ground hard.

The purple blades flickered and disappeared. She was down for the count. I strode forward, seized her by the arm and dragged her at record speech toward where I left Kioni. I had only been away a grand total of two minutes, but I knew what Creed was capable in two minutes. And it wasn't pretty. I sped up, not caring that Braddock's limp body was hitting every corner I turned. I could smell Creed, I could feel Kioni's intense fear. Shit.

I kicked the doors to the lab room open. I could see Kioni lying flat on the cement floor, clutching her ankle. Creed was towering over her. His nails had red dripping off of them and Kioni's neck was dotted in bleeding puncture wounds. He turned when the doors opened, his lips pulled back to reveal incisors twisted in a cruel imitation of a smile.

"Nice of you to join us Wade." his voice rumbled like a cat's purr, "I was telling this little chickadee here that she should forget about you and get with a real man." He bent down to touch her hair. Kioni flinched. "She's got your scent all over her. Well, in every place but one. Looks like you couldn't seal the deal." he gave her a perverse look. "But don't you worry. I'll take care of her as soon as I'm done with you."

For once, I didn't come back with a comment of my own. All I saw was red. Without thinking, I grabbed Braddock, hoisted her over my head and threw her as hard as I could at Creed's hairy face.

Now, I'll admit, if I had been in a less angry state of mind, I may have thrown something better, like one of my swords. But I was pissed and irrational and Betsey was all ready in my hand. I was killing two birds with one stone. The Asian woman bouncing off of him successfully turned his attention fully to me. He growled as he swatted Braddock out of the way. "Touched a nerve?" he taunted. His mouth opened for another jab when I heard a gun fire two rounds.

Kioni was still lying on her side, the smoking pistol in her hands. I noticed that he was bleeding from his inner thighs. So Kioni _had _gone for the balls. I'd have to remember to congratulate her after this. Creed roared in pain. I watched his pupils dilated. Damn it. He and Logan seem to go into the same bezerk rages.

"Wilson!" Creed roared, incisors shining. He leapt forward. I had to get him before he could heal. Great, so I had maybe a minute. No time to waste then. I ran toward him, my blades swinging like propellers in front of me. Creed was forced to pounce over Braddock's body before he could do his creepy cheetah run. We met in the middle in a flurry of claws, metal and blood. An animal backed into a corner with half of his balls shot off is not an easy thing to fight. Good thing I wasn't feeling pain. All I was feeling was rage and I was using it to tear this bastard up.

I was vaguely aware of another person entering the fight. A crimson streak went flying past me and knocked Creed across the room. Gambit was at my left in a moment, eyes smoldering red and his ass whooping stick looking like it needed an ass to whoop. I didn't say anything, but took off after Creed again, determined to finish the job. Creed recovered and roared, his nostrils flaring. He had gone totally feral. It was like fighting a lion.

I shifted my stance to put me in between him and Kioni. I could feel her distress in the back of my mind. Creed would smell her fear and it would just egg him on. The bastard gets off on things like that. The faster I took him out and got to her, the better. He was coming at us quickly on all fours. With a swipe of one massive hand, he threw Gambit out of the way. The Cajun just managed to tuck and roll safely away. He powered past me completely. Bewildered, I turned to look. I soon saw the reason.

Logan was hunched over in the doorway looking like a wild man. His hair was sticking up like the ears of a wolf, his teeth were bared, his hackles up, shoulders squared and every hair standing on end. His eyes had lost all of their cobalt color. With a snikt, his claws shot out of his hands and he held them at his sides, ready for his foe. Creed hit him like a wall, but Logan was ready. He speared him through the side. Blood squirted everywhere from both parties, driving the men into more of a frenzy.

Gambit and I sensed that this was going to get very violent very quickly. It was better to not get caught in the crossfire of a fight between tigers. I moved quickly, running toward Kioni.

"Can you walk?" I asked her.

"My ankle," she gasped. Without another word, I pulled Kioni into my arms and retreated to the back of the room farthest from the fight. Damn, no door. Remy was ahead of me. He swung at the door with the charged staff, blowing a hole right through the cement.

"Let's go!" I called. Creed had just slammed Logan over his knee. Without an admantium skeleton, Logan's spine would have been snapped in two. Instead, he dug his claws into his older half brother and used them to toss him over his head and straight through the gurney to the floor. Creed's massive form crushed the operating table to scrap metal. Time to get the hell out of here. I was out first since Remy went back to grab something. He pulled Braddock's body out of the hole with us.

"Wouldn't be right to leave her!" Remy shouted when he saw my facial expression. I wanted to tell Gambit to reserve his small store of chivalry for women who didn't want to betray their country but I didn't even have the time to object. I could smell Kioni's blood all over my hands and feel her pulse slowing.

I got her out about 100 yards from the fight and laid her down in the dirt. The wounds in her neck were deep. With every beat of her heart, more blood rushed out of her body. I pulled my shirt off quickly to stem the bleeding. Remy dropped Betsy and rushed over.

"Oh petite," he lamented. Kioni seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation, but smiled weakly.

"I'll be fine," she assured us, even as my shirt became soaked with her blood.

"Shit, I shouldn't have left you," I was furious with myself.

Kioni just grabbed my hand. "Wade, I need you to know something," she said frantically.

"Tell me later. After this. You're going to be fine," I insisted. "you're going to be fine."

"No," she shook her head, an expression of pain written over all of her features. Her skin was unusually ashen, the curls that were normally so lively plastered to her head with sweat. "I need you to kiss me. Please," she squeezed my hand. Not caring that Remy was there, I complied without complaint. I'm not an idiot. I've seen a lot of people come and go in my life. It's a side effect of being a soldier. I've seen some miraculous recoveries, but she was losing too much blood. And I was losing her.

Her lips were cool. She responded to my touch with surprising fervor. I felt the connection start again, but this time all of her walls were down. There was an intense swooping sensation, then she opened her memories to me. A memory of the first time we met played out in her mind. My mind eagerly supplied my perspective of the same encounter. As a result, it looked like watching a movie of the entire scene, except I felt what she felt. The memories played one by one, each one accompanied by how she felt about me in that moment. She thought I was attractive. She thought I was a flirt. She thought I was a sweet guy. They flashed through quicker and quicker in sequence until the night before came up.

Oh, holy crap. She loved me. I thought it had to be a mistake, but there it was, crystal clear. She had been working hard to hide it the whole trip, confused at how quickly it had happened, how little she knew about me. But it was there, plain and simple. And she was letting me know because she thought the gig was up. No. It couldn't be. I wouldn't let it. I had promised.

I pulled back, shaking off the disorientation that always came with our sudden physical separation. Kioni gasped in pain. I seized one of my swords. I ran the sharp edge along the inside of my arm. My skin split open, my blood spilled out.

"Wilson! What the hell!?" Gambit reached for my sword but I pulled it back and pressed harder. It hurt, but I could barely feel it. I dropped the sword and pressed my arm, blood and all, to the wounds on her neck, mixing our blood. Hopefully, mixing my genes with hers.

All I could do was wait. Seconds drug by like eternities. Her breathing slowed, and she closed her eyes. Then Kioni took a giant breath and exhaled with a sound that was an unmistakable death rattle.

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A/N: The next one's coming soon! I swear!


	13. Chapter 13

I stared on in shock. It couldn't happen. My blood should have worked. I pressed harder to her, but felt no pulse. Than I heard the Cajun. "Oh, chere…" Gambit lamented, his normally jovial face crestfallen.

Two things happened in that moment. One, I felt the connection with Kioni flicker, fade, and then finally extinguish. It left me with a sense of emptiness that I had never felt before. Two, blind, unadulterated hatred swooped in to fill that hole. And that hatred was reserved for Creed alone. I didn't care that I was losing blood from the wound in my arm, I didn't care that Stryker was the one who twisted my mind and tore away my memories. All I knew was that Creed was the one who had killed the only person I gave a damn about in this world. And he was going to pay.

It was like some sort of trigger went off in my mind. Wade as I knew him was gone; someone else had taken his place at the helm of my consciousness. That someone else ran on primal urges, pain and hate and rage. And it was all for Creed. It wasn't until later that I realized I had reactivated the dormant "Deadpool" my murderous alter ego. I work hard to put him down most of the time. He's all of my baser urges. Nothing good comes from me becoming Deadpool, the byproduct of Weapon XI. He was gunning for Creed. I took off toward the fight, not heading Gambit's hollered warning. Turns out I didn't need to run to Creed. He came soaring toward me, all 6 feet, 2 inches of Logan plowed into his chest, claws and all. The two of them went down just feet from Kioni's body.

Creed was in bad shape. He was losing blood faster than he could heal. His skin was pale, his eyes rimmed in dark circles. He hit the ground hard, stirring up the dirt. It billowed around us, mixing with the sweat and blood. Logan wasn't looking much better than his brother, but at least he appeared to be winning. He rose one clawed hand, and in an instance I saw he was going to end it. He couldn't do that. Creed was mine.

I wasn't fast enough. Logan swung down, stabbing him right through the throat. Creed gurgled, then went still. As the light faded from his eyes, I noticed the color return. He whispered one word, "Jimmy," then breathed his last. Logan pulled himself up and retracted his claws, coming off of his feral rage. He was exhausted, but looked triumphant. He didn't count on me tackling him into the dirt.

I started to wail on his face. He couldn't unsheathe his weapons again because I had pinned his arms up under his armpits. I hit him with hard, haymaker punches straight to the face. My knuckles were torn raw, I couldn't tell his blood from mine, or his pain from mine. All of the rage for Creed was being taken out on him. He shouldn't have killed him. Creed was mine.

I felt a barrage of objects pelt me in the back of the head. I turned slightly to see Gambit frantically trying to get me off of his comrade.

"Wilson! What are you doing?" Gambit yelled, distressed. I didn't recognize my own name. I was unhinged. I had dropped my katanas about a meter away. I couldn't get them and finish Logan without letting him up first. And Gambit was a whole other problem. I made a sound of utter frustration.

"Wade! Get off of me bub!" Logan tried. He was shifting his weight back and forth, trying to dislodge me. But he was tired. I wasn't. And I had gravity on my side. The cards kept bouncing off of me at increasingly higher charges. It was all driving my anger. I rose my fist again to deliver another blow.

And then I felt something unexpected: a mental tickle, like a feather when it brushes the skin. I pushed it away, but it pushed back insistently. I knew who it was. But that was impossible. It pushed still harder, but this time I heard a voice.

"Wade." it said clearly. Gambit and Logan heard it too. I turned around. Kioni, who I was so sure was dead, had rolled over and was staring at me with admonishing eyes.

"Kioni?" Wade pushed forward in my mind and Deadpool fell back. Gambit's jaw hung open, a card still poised between his index finger and thumb. Logan used the opportunity to shove me away from him. His claws sprang free and he raised them to do me in, but Remy stopped him.

"Wait!" he yelled. We watched in shock (except for Logan, who didn't know she had died) as Kioni sat slowly up, the cuts on her neck gone, looking healthy and vital.

"Wade," she repeated. I was up and at her side in an instance. "What are you doing?" she questioned softly. Her hands cupped my face, forcing me to make eye contact.

"What are _you _doing?" I asked her incredulously. "I thought you died. I felt you die!" I grasped her wrists. Her pulse beat beneath chocolate skin.

"I think I _did _die," she said, equally bewildered. "But then I came back."

It hit me. My blood. It didn't give her my healing factor, but the inability to die. "My blood," I told her. "It must have been my blood. It worked." I said in amazement.

"You gave me your blood?" Kioni looked down at the now dry trails of blood running down my left arm. "Wow…" she breathed.

"I had some to spare." It wasn't a big deal. "I thought it didn't work. I thought you died."

"So you tried to kill Logan?" she asked seriously. She glanced over at my shoulder at the stocky Canadian. He was picking himself up off of the ground. Gambit was staring at him.

"Um. Yeah." I said honestly. "I lost control. I wanted to kill Creed, but then Logan killed him. So I got mad at Logan for taking the opportunity away. It was like, a whole other part of me popped up. I couldn't control him." Kioni nodded.

"The part Stryker created." She said simply. "I felt him sometimes. You always managed to put him down."

"Not that time. When you died…" I trailed off.

"I told you severing the connection sucks." she smiled wryly.

"That you did," I agreed. I leaned in to kiss her.

Logan spoke up. "Does anyone want to tell me what the fuck is going on?" he growled.

"I'd like to know too," Gambit seconded.

It was then that I realized we had been speaking Swahili. I broke the kiss and turned around to them. "Sorry," I said. "I lost control." I felt this might have been an understatement. Logan's face was black and blue from the beating he took.

"No shit…" Gambit mumbled. He seemed happy though, that I had lost it on Logan and not him.

Logan wiped his face off and shrugged. "It happens." If anyone knew about losing control, it was James Howlett. He looked over at the body of Creed and then Braddock.

"Is she dead?" Remy asked.

"No," Logan said simply. "I can hear her breathing. It's faint, but still there."

"What about Creed?" Kioni asked.

"He smells dead." Logan grumbled. Kioni pulled herself up to her feet and walked over to the body warily.

"I think he's alive too." she said quietly. I heard Logan growl and Gambit groan. "But his mind is blank."

"Meaning what?" I asked. I got up and stood behind her.

"Meaning I can only sense a faint desire to stay alive. Nothing deeper. It's similar to what I felt when I first met Wade." she replied.

"He has no memory…" I looked down at Creed's prone form. His chest was indeed rising and falling in miniscule motions.

All four of us looked at each other for a moment. "Well, that seems fitting," Gambit said, breaking the silence..

"It does, doesn't it?" I agreed. "How'd that happen?" Gambit peaked over at Creed.

"I think Logan severed part of his spine. The part that connects to the memory part of the brain, I guess." I sighed. Shouldn't have asked him. A scientist Lebeau ain't.

Logan furrowed his brow in thought. "So kill him, or let him wander around with no memories?" The 'like us' went unspoken.

"It's up to you hommes. Rem-- I don't care either way." Gambit caught himself. Bout time he learned.

"I say kill him," Logan growled. He unsheathed his claws.

"Leave him," I told him. I felt kind of bad. He might find out one day that Creed is his brother. He'd tear himself up if he killed his own flesh and blood. "Let karma take care of him." Truth was, I didn't give a damn about Creed. I just wanted to leave he and Braddock lying bleeding in the dirt and take off. Creed wouldn't remember us and Betsey wasn't a threat to me. I needed to grab Kioni and get the hell away from this place. Away from it all. Logan regarded me carefully. "Stryker's who we want anyway. And Creed won't remember him, not after that." Creed looked pretty gross. Kioni glanced at his body, neck severed, covered in congealing blood and dirt, and buried her face in my shirt.

Logan growled his disagreement. "You don't even know why you don't like him. You guys just got in an alpha male cat fight." He looked reluctant, but then sheathed his claws.

"Alright. But if we cross paths again, I'm getting rid of him." he submitted unenthusiastically.

"Can we go?" Kioni asked quietly.

"I'm done here." I stated. The sun was beginning to come up. We wouldn't go undetected here much longer.

"Sure, darling. Let's get out of here." We limped our way back to the car. Gambit had a huge bruise running up the side of his body and a sprained ankle. Logan was recovering from the beating his brother gave him and the one I had unleashed. My arm still stung, my head hurt and I had more cuts then I could count, but I tried to help Kioni to the car. Ironically, she was doing the best of all of us. Dried blood dotted her neck like a crimson collar and her clothing was soiled and torn, but otherwise she looked like she was bursting with energy.

"Are you all ok?" Kioni asked us as we fell into the Mustang. Baldie and Eyebrows were going to get the car back covered in blood and mud, but I couldn't care less. I just wanted a nap.

"Never better, chere." Gambit winced as he buckled himself into the back.

Logan flopped in next to him. He looked wiped. I looked back at Kioni.

"Maybe you should drive, babe."

She just smiled and took the keys.

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A/N: So, I would have preferred to kill both Creed and Stryker, but as we all know, they weren't dead in the movies until X1 and X2 respectively. And I'm trying to be as true as possible. Considering Creed seems to grow 6 inches, and a mane like a lion and never mentions that he's Logan's brother and no longer has his healing factor... I'm just trying to smooth over some of the films's plot holes. Now Creed has no memory, which at least explains that part, and he's no longer with Stryker, so maybe he can go off and join Magneto now and lose the ability to speak. Did he even have lines in X1? Whoops, now I'm rambling. Anyhow, please, please Review!


	14. Chapter 14

I've always been good at goodbyes. That's just the sort of person I am. As an assassin, it's better to not get close to people. It messes the relationship up when they find out you were sent to kill them. So I keep my distance. It's nothing personal. It's easier having a thousand friendly acquaintances then a few friends. Friends take effort, effort I'm not the best at giving. I guess it's the reason I don't have family. But being alone makes things easier. For instance, if I had a family when I got my memories stolen, how complicated would that have been? Too complicated. I'm a simple kind of guy. I like to eat, travel, get laid every once in a while and maybe kill some folks in between. It makes goodbyes easy.

Which is why I had no problem when Logan and Gambit split. Logan and I come from similar schools of thought, or at least, we've been burned enough to learn life is better when you go it alone. Lonelier, but simpler. So when he took off, I had no problem shaking his hand, wishing him luck and watching him tear off into the sunset. Gambit was a little more complicated. I guess he's one of those "social butterfly" types because he lingers. If you're leaving, then leave. I can't miss someone if they don't leave. I wasn't going to miss him, but he insisted he would miss Kioni, and told me to drop in anytime I needed a thief or a wingman. I told him I would. I hope I don't need any of those things. Ever.

When he finally left, I was relieved. Took the Cajun long enough. He and Logan had both given Kioni something before they left. Gambit gave her a kiss (and in return, got a punch from me) and Logan gave her a small vial of blood. Now, Kioni's not Angelina Jolie. The blood wasn't for a future fashion statement, but for her father. We figured his might be safer than mine. Seeing as he was the source of the original healing power, his would be the first choice. If it didn't work, I'd try to give Joshua some.

The blood was sitting in the trunk of the Mustang in a Styrofoam container with dry ice. Xavier had let us keep the car, perhaps not wishing to foot the bill of getting the interior steam cleaned. He had given Kioni a manila folder with research on how to theoretically cure her father. Of course, we already knew how. But she took it with a thanks anyway. Lensher and his bff extended their invitation for me to join their little group of mutants. I rain checked. Kioni had an uneasy feeling about Erick, one she passed on to me. He seemed way too interested in Victor Creed when we told them what had gone down. It didn't sit right with me. One day I might join Xavier, but for now, he was just another goodbye. I had one more goodbye to face.

It was the first parting I can remember being upset about. In truth, Kioni was the only person I can ever remember being close to. Her presence had become a staple of the only life I remembered, and I wasn't quite ready to part from it. Not to mention the connection we shared. I noticed I'd been sleeping better at night, free from the nightmares that tortured me. I also noticed that my mind seemed more organized, and that Deadpool had stopped making such frequent appearances. All of these things were appealing to me. Leaving her was not.

It was agreed that I would take her back to Africa, then we would part. Even though Xavier had let us know that Stryker was in a military prison for the next five years ( I wonder which of his sins they got him for?) the man was well connected. Until he was gone, I shouldn't hang around and draw him to innocent people. Which brought us to the goodbye.

It wasn't like Gambit and Logan. I was determined to make this one count. Which is why I insisted we spend the night in Nairobi and return to her town the following morning. I had a plan. I'm sure Kioni knew what it was, but she went with it anyway. Apparently, love is a powerful persuader.

I'm not going to lie and tell you I loved her at that point in my life. I'm a cold-blooded killing bastard. It takes a while to melt the ice around my heart. Just admitting to liking someone was a big step for me. Kioni got that. So when we fell into bed that night, she took it for what it was. It wasn't a quick lay, it wasn't a one-night stand, it wasn't one of those romance-novel type things; it was a step (But I'm pretty sure the earth did move, or at least the bed jumped a couple of feet and I nearly cracked the headboard in half). What _did _happen was that, like an idiot, I made the connection deeper. Remember what I said it felt like when we kissed? Well, when you go beyond kissing, as in sleeping with someone, more specifically sleeping with someone who loves you and it's their first time, that connection goes above and beyond the normal. And so the one man act thing that I had going on permanently ended. Because after that, after feeling someone care about you that damn much, having someone give themselves to you, you can't go back. She had me, hook, line and sinker. Now she just had to reel me in.

The reeling in was a slow process. But we had time. I took her back the next morning, mind and body still buzzing over what had happened the night before. Kioni shifted awkwardly next to me. She was in just as weird of a space as me, except she didn't know what I was going to do. It was no secret that she had the stronger feelings. What she didn't know what that I already needed her. I didn't know it either, but there it was. We departed with a certain level of sorrow that we couldn't quite hide. She didn't cry, but her mood was dark as I shook hands with her father and brother-in-law and gave her sister a hug. Then I made our status as a sort-of-couple public when I grabbed her and laid a hard kiss on her lips in front of the whole town. People gasped and Akina laughed. Her dad looked like he was contemplating getting his gun, but he let is slide. I pulled back, shifted my bag on my shoulder and made her a promise.

"I'll stop by every once in a while," I told her in English.

"You'd better," her voice wavered ever so slightly. And with one more slower kiss and a hug, I was off.

I kept my promise. I stopped in a few times those first few years and spent time with her and her family, enjoying some semblance of normality. Then Stryker got out. My last visit to Africa to see her took place in the dead of the night five years after our little road trip. I was going to tell her that I'd be around less now that I had a colonel to kill. Instead, I noticed something peculiar. While the world spun and people aged around her, Kioni looked the same at 30 as she had at 25. She and her sister looked like twins. I didn't say anything then, but I knew the truth. She wasn't aging. My blood and our connection had her locked eternally at age 25. She and I were sharing the same fate. She had cried that night, sensing that it would be many, many years before I made a reappearance. It was then, while I held her in post-orgasmic bliss, that I realized I loved her. I have the worst timing ever.

While I traveled around working as a mercenary and looking for an opening to kill Stryker, the connection was strong. I felt her every day, in everything I did. It was unbearable. I knew that Stryker, tightly protected by the US government, (even I can't overthrow that) was watching her closely, so I couldn't risk going back. But I felt her anguish at my departure. Feeling the same, I tried to screw it away by letting Deadpool take over a few nights with nameless women. It didn't work. All it did was make me feel like crap when I realized Kioni had felt it all, and was hurting for it. She tried to move on herself. It was like torture. I felt it as she grew to have feelings for a man I didn't know, for a man who wasn't me.

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. I risked a secret trip to her town. I wanted to see the guy, just to know. Deadpool wanted to kill him. When I saw her with _him_, some tall, dark man I would later learn was Mhina's brother, I had more than half a mind to let Deadpool win this one. But she was happy. Soon, very soon, she would discover what I had known for a while. For now, I let her have a little bit of joy.

I walked around moping, immersing myself in my work to help ease the pain. I died a few more times, lost parts of myself, but was always drawn back by our connection. My memories faded in and out, my sanity faded in and out, but the thought of her kept me grounded. At night, when I laid alone in a jungle somewhere or in a foreign country, ghosts of nights spent together, of sore and sweaty limbs, broken headboards, twisted sheets and scratched backs replaced the nightmares. It was like constant torture. And then, one night, I felt it. She had finally realized she wasn't getting any older. People around her knew it too, and they were starting to freak out. She was either a mutant or a witch, neither a good thing to be where she was. So she fled, leaving her second choice of a man heartbroken at home with her family. She went the only other place she knew: Xavier's school.

I watched her there. Stryker kept constant tabs on my comings and goings, so I couldn't approach her. But I'm sure she felt me. I observed her cry herself to sleep at night, missing her family, her home and me. I saw her find solace by making friends with the young snow-haired mutant who shared her heritage and her redheaded friend. I watched her train in combat, noting that she had adopted a fighting style I knew well as my own. I noticed that her moods mirrored mine, that we had adopted some of each other's mannerisms. She had become a fierce adversary in a fight and I had experienced a mellowing our of sorts. Her sarcasm became refined, another byproduct of bonding with me. I kept her safe without her knowing it, hacking into government files to keep Xavier's school flying under government radar. Charles Xavier knew what I was doing, I was sure, but he refrained from commenting to either of us. I watched her from afar, keeping my desire to kick the door of that school down and take her right there, in check. I watched Erick and Xavier have a parting of ways. I watched as Logan stumbled to the school, a young girl in tow and immediately started slobbering all over the redhead, who was very much taken by the one-eyed boy scout. He always was an idiot. It couldn't have been clearer that the very available white-haired black woman liked him, and she had filled out a lot since I last saw her. But whatever. It's my story, not the story of how much of a retard the Wolverine is when it comes to women.

I watched Creed, now completely feral without his memories, make an appearance on Lensher's team only to be taken out by the X-men. And then, 14 years after Kioni and I met, what I had been waiting for finally happened. Stryker finally found a good reason to invade the school. He took some kids hostage and the little band of leather-wearing vigilantes went to get their students back. I aided in whatever small ways I could, posing as a soldier in Stryker's band. They succeeded, but managed to break the dam to Alkali Lake along the way, putting them in a pickle. If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. Friggin' idiots.

They all mysteriously seemed to forget that they all possessed formidable powers; all except the redhead, who realized she was like, the shit, as far as telepaths go. Through Kioni, I sensed her desire to play hero and sacrifice herself. I urged Kioni to remind the other's that they were mutants for God's sake. And so, the little popsicle boy created an ice wall around their jet that kept them all from becoming aquarium decorations. Then the other resident hottie, the white-haired chick, used her freaky ability to make tornadoes with her mind to pull the jet into the air. And they flew off into the sunset, the only casualty of the flood being Stryker.

He was dead, and I couldn't wait any longer. While the rest of her teammates were licking their wounds, I snuck into the mansion and into her room on the third floor teacher's wing. I know Xavier sensed me, I know Logan smelled me, but they wisely stayed out of my way. I knew she felt me coming. In fact, when I got to her door, I found it unlocked. I knew for a fact that she locked it every night. I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. It smelled like her. Traces of her decorated the walls, from the curtains of her floor length windows, to the trinkets from her hometown littering the shelves. Pictures of her family, including the sister she never saw but maintained close contact with, lined the walls, mixed in with newer photos of her life in America. I shut the door quietly, pulling my red and black hood off as I walked slowly into her room. She was sitting upright on her bed, staring at me.

Without so much as a hello, she lifted herself up, crossed the carpeted floor to me, and punched me as hard as she could in the face.

"It's about damn time you came to see me," she growled in Swahili. My face stung, but I'll admit, I deserved it. "I thought you were going to spend the rest of eternity watching me from afar."

I smiled at her. "I knew you knew. But I had to wait."

"I know," she mumbled. She was already fussing over the red mark on my cheek. She pressed her lips to it, soothing the sting and igniting a fire I wouldn't be able to extinguish no matter how hard I tried. "But it's been hard." I could smell saline and hear the way her throat tightened.

"You miss your family," I stated.

"And you." She said, the tears falling freely now. "I missed you too. My family at least visits." she sounded accusatory and I couldn't blame her. Her family did indeed come to visit at least once a year during the holidays. Her nephews were nearing the age she was suspended in, and her baby sister looked many years her senior, but they still came. Her father had come too, until he had passed away a few years ago. She had to go through it all alone. I felt bad. But I was determined to make up for it.

"I was here. You just didn't see me." I told her. It was lame, but I projected how I was feeling on the inside to her. I may be a man of many words, but I'm not the best at getting emotions across.

"I felt you." she said quietly. "Everyday. It helped. It's nice to know you're not the only person on the planet not dying." her voice had the hint of a smile when she said this.

"I'm not sorry I made you into what I am." I said boldly. She looked like she might hit me again. "I'm selfish that way," I plowed on. "You see, somewhere, a decade or so back, I realized that I was in love with you. And I wasn't going to let that go. Not for anything." Kioni's face softened, her eyes lit up, and she threw herself into my arms. We kissed, undressed, and then proceeded to demolish her four-post bed.

So Wade Wilson, former soldier, assassin and amnesiac, became a member of the X-men. And together, Kioni and I watched students grow up, watched Wolverine get his head out of his ass and finally ask Storm out, watched our friends around us date, marry, get pregnant and get old. I watched in amazement as Kioni's stomach grew round one, two, three, four times and as I went from being the world's most talkative mercenary to the world's most sarcastic dad.

We watched together as our kids grew up and had kids of their own, as the people we cared about aged and succumbed to nature, watched the world steadily go to hell, until only Logan, she and I were left. Then, hundreds of years later, we learned that even the Wolverine could die. But we couldn't. I can't say I recommend immortality (all you _Twilight_fans take notes); it's not all it's chalked up to be. Kioni and I went through some serious shit. Watching wars, death and poverty and the world just generally going to hell around you isn't fun. It takes it's toll. But Kioni was right there, holding my hand and keeping me mostly sane.

Our time finally came, when everyone else was gone and the world ready to begin again. I still don't understand how it happened. We just went to bed one night, under the stars in Africa where we first met, and woke up somewhere else completely. And thanks to Kioni, I woke up somewhere pleasant and wonderful instead of the fiery depths I was certainly damned to without her. I told the Big Guy thanks for looking out for me, said hello to all of our old friends and our kids. And generally lived happily ever after. Heaven's pretty damn cool.

So there you have it folks, a fairy-tell ending to a story that started out pretty bleak. If you're the type of person who generally enjoys more angsty versions of my life, no worries. There are plenty of stories--through Marvel and other authors-- where I don't find Kioni. I bet they're way more depressing. So you can read those.

Until then, this is the Merc with the mouth, plus one, signing off.

Oh, and do review this story. I'd say the author deserves it for giving me such a nice ending. What do you think?

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A/N: I finished! Thanks for hanging in there with me. I know I changed the plot of X men a little bit, but I really thought some of the plot was stupid. Especially how they're frigging superheroes but seem to forget about their powers when things get rough in the movies. I hope you all don't mind. But if you do, feel free to tell me about it. And if everyone who hasn't reviewed, but had read, would just send me a little blurb on what they thought, I would love it. To those of you, especially Captain Deadpool, thanks for always letting me know what you thought! Have a Happy Holidays folks!


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